Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Baptisia

Species:

Baptisia leucophaea

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

cream, yellow

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from a deep taproot after fire. Prairie fires maintain habitat and reduce woody competition.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seed coat is very hard and benefits from scarification followed by cold stratification. Fresh seed germinates more readily than stored seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI