Hairy Indigo
Indigofera hirsuta
- Native to:
- Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bismarck Archipelago, Bolivia, Borneo, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Christmas I., Cocos (Keeling) Is., Comoros, Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South China Sea, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Bob Peterson (www.flickr.com) from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Indigofera
- Species:
- Indigofera hirsuta
- USDA Symbol:
- INHI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, red
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Dichomeris rustica, Metephestia simplicula, velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in fire-maintained pinelands and disturbed areas.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- tolerates nutrient-poor soils
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions after treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI