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So perfectly shaped, you will think it was sheared.

Baptisia Blue Mound

A dense mound of cornflower blue flowers held on strong stems make it the perfect front to middle of the border perennial.

The inch-wide dusty violet-blue flowers of this selection are borne above attractive blue green foliage from mid-May into early June (USDA Zone 5). ‘Blue Mound’ develops into and maintains a perfectly uniform mound all summer, which you will think was sheared! It is equally tolerant of acidic and alkaline soils. Developed by crossing the larger, cold-hardy Baptisia australis var. australis with the compact and heat tolerant B. australis var. minor, this vigorous selection is intermediate in size to both parents, but has the heavier blooming of the larger parent and the more uniform, broad-rounded habit and finer foliage of the smaller parent. ‘Blue Mound’ offers the best of both parents!

Please note: We don't sell plants. Asking your local retailer or googling the plant name is the easiest way to find someone selling our plants.

Please note: Download hi-res photos from the photo gallery at the bottom of the page.


Who Am I?

  • Common Name

    Bue Mound false indigo
  • Botanical Name

    Baptisia australis 'Blue Mound' PP25902
  • Type

    Perennial
  • US Native?

    YES
  • Origin

    The Prairieblues™ false indigos were developed by Jim Ault, Ph.D., at the Chicago Botanic Garden from crosses made between 1999 and 2004. The selections were developed from crossing Baptisia albescens (formerly B. alba), B. australis var. australis, B. australis var. minor, B. bracteata (formerly B. leucophaea), B. sphaerocarpa, and B. tinctoria in various c ombinations. All parent plants and selections were grown in-ground at the Chicago Botanic Garden (USDA Zone 5b) during the breeding and selection process.

  • Bloom Time

    Late spring/early summer
  • Bloom Color

    Deep blue
  • Fruit Time

    Fall
  • Fruit Color

    Gray

Cultural Details

  • Bloom Time

    Late spring/early summer
  • Size

    3' tall by 4' wide
  • Hardiness Zone

    4-9
  • Light

    Full sun
  • Soil

    Moist, but well-drained, fairly adaptable to many soils
  • Moisture

    Drought tolerant once established
  • Disease & Pests

    False indigos exhibit good to excellent disease resistance. A seed weevil will predate the seed, but this does not detract from either plant health or display value. The genista broom moth caterpillar (Uresiphita reversalis) can seriously defoliate plants of Baptisia, but this tends to be more of a problem in warmer climes.
  • Landscape Use

    Borders, foundations, mass plantings, matrix plantings, naturalized gardens, commercial plantings
  • Propagation

    Softwood Cuttings, Tissue Culture

Available Photos

Hover over images to download hi-res files.