Natal Indigo
Indigofera arrecta
- Native to:
- Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Indigofera
- Species:
- Indigofera arrecta
- USDA Symbol:
- INAR2
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, red
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown after fire; seeds germinate readily in post-fire conditions.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers fertile soils in native range
Propagation & Germination
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from scarification (nicking or hot water treatment) to break hard seed coat.