BLUE FALSE INDIGO

BLUE FALSE INDIGO

Baptisia australis
Fabaceae

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This showy perennial flower of the bean family is bright blue when the style protrudes the “keel” to be pollinated (A). The flowers are arranged on a receme which grows to 4 feet tall (B). The flowers mature from the bottom up and soon wilt after pollination. The ovary then grows rapidly to form a large seed pod (D). The leaves have three spoon-shaped leaflets, each about 2 inches long (E).

Although native in southeastern Nebraska, the flowers found at the entrance to the Fontenelle Forest Visitors Center are most probably planted there from seed.

The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Roland Barth.