Baptisia Grape Taffy - False Indigo

Baptisia 'Grape Taffy' is a new variety of indigo lupin that stands out for its particularly compact and bushy habit, well suited for small gardens and pot cultivation on the terrace or balcony. It is also distinguished by the dark purple colour of its flowers, beautifully touched with yellowish beige at the base. The flower spikes appear in June, for 3 weeks, clustered at the top of a dissected foliage with an interesting texture, even outside the flowering period. The black fruits that follow the flowers remain decorative for a long time, both on the plant and in dry bouquets. Ideal in borders, in a romantic or natural garden, the indigo lupin has a presence comparable to that of a small deciduous bush: don't hesitate to associate them according to your desires!

The 'Grape Taffy' Baptisia is a perennial plant from the Fabaceae family resulting from extensive research and hybridization carried out in the USA by Walter Gardens. Its ancestors, including the most well-known one, Baptisia australis, are all native to the meadows and woods of the eastern and central United States (Texas, Oklahoma). They grow there in full sun among tall grasses, without any special care, perfectly tolerant to frost and dry summers. However, they are plants that prefer rather acidic and sandy soil, and they fear the presence of limestone in the soil.

The 'Grape Taffy' variety forms a bushy and ramified clump not exceeding, on average, 75cm (30in) in all directions. The flowering takes place in June-July, in the form of papilionaceous flower spikes with unusual shades for hybrids. The overall impression when looking at this flowering is a dark and rich colour like that of a red grape, but also sparkling, resulting from a mix of indigo purple, reddish-purple, and a touch of yellowish beige. The flowering is followed by the formation of black, very decorative pods, containing small kidney-shaped seeds. The foliage, a very fresh green, which disappears in winter, is also very ornamental when swaying in the wind. It is composed of greenish-blue leaves, divided into three rounded leaflets, resembling those of alfalfa or clover. This very perennial plant is capable of living for many years in the garden, without special care once well established. The aboveground, deciduous vegetation disappears in winter and develops in spring.

Baptisia are close relatives of lupins, which are much better known in Europe. They are much less demanding in terms of humidity but share a preference for acidic soils. They have very robust roots that allow them to live for a long time in our gardens but require time to establish themselves. A true all-terrain plant, the 'Grape Taffy' indigo lupin is a compact and undemanding variety that will find its place in small spaces, in the garden as well as in pots. It integrates well in a romantic border, a garden without irrigation, or in natural areas. It is also useful for decorating a degraded area, which often surrounds a recently built house. It looks superb when combined with grasses such as Miscanthus, Panicum, or with Echinaceas and perennial sunflowers. It also pairs well with purple toadflaxes or with hybrid mulleins, which are equally spectacular.

The vernacular name 'Indigo Lupin' comes from the use that some Native American peoples made of these dye plants. Indeed, they provide coloring pigments comparable to those of true indigos (from the Antillean genus Indigofera), but of lesser quality.