Is False Indigo deer resistant?
Baptisia australis
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 3–9LightFull sunMature height36–48 inBloomSpring and Summer
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range29 US states
About False Indigo
A deep taproot makes it drought-proof and effectively impossible to move once established, so decide the position carefully. Blue pea flowers, then black seed pods that rattle.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 35 to 47 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to False Indigo
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- Anise HyssopAgastache sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Basket of GoldAurinia saxatilisZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Bearded IrisIris germanicaZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Bigleaf GoldenrayLigularia dentataZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Bleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Butter and EggsLinaria vulgarisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
Where False Indigo grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Florida
- Alabamanative
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 29 US states in total.
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Every list False Indigo belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about False Indigo
- Is False Indigo deer resistant?
- False Indigo (Baptisia australis) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does False Indigo grow in?
- False Indigo is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does False Indigo grow in shade?
- No. False Indigo wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does False Indigo get?
- Mature height is roughly 36–48 in. Growth rate is slow.