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Cream Wild Indigo
Baptisia bracteata

Plains Wild Indigo is a long lived perennial that gradually expands with each growing season. One of the earliest prairie species to bloom, its flowers are an important source of food for early-emerging bumblebees.

USDA symbol: BABR2

General Information

Plant TypeForb
Height2 feet
Light ExposureSun
Soil MoistureDry
Bloom ColorYellow
Cream Wild Indigo (Cream Wild Indigo<div><em class="small">Baptisia bracteata</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Native Landscapes (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceModerate
General Resilience6
Salt ToleranceMedium
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant

Pollinator Value: High

Bloom MonthsJune to July
Larval Host ofBees
Specific Pollinators HostedMegachile dakotensis
Pollinator BenefitInsect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Supports Specialists

Project Planning

Project TypeBoulevard, Rain Garden, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism10
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyDakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Winona
EcoregionDriftless Area, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Lakes and Forests, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland