Yellow Wild Indigo

Baptisia sphaerocarpa

Yellow Wild Indigo

Photo by and (c)2014 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man)

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Baptisia
Species:
Baptisia sphaerocarpa

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
4-6 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr, may, jun
Bloom Colors:
Yellow

Native Range

United States: Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
well-drained, sandy or loamy soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
prefers open, sunny locations

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o