Baptisia develops into a strong, upright perennial with blue-green foliage and tall spires of pea-like flowers appearing in late spring and early summer. It's also known as Blue False Indigo. Best grown in full sun and a well-drained, open structured soil, it becomes increasingly drought tolerant as it matures. Fully hardy and long-lived, it requires minimal maintenance and is particularly effective in mixed borders and prairie-style, naturalistic planting schemes. The flowers are also attractive to pollinators, adding ecological value as well as structure and colour..

How to plant:

— Plant Baptisia bare roots in spring, when supplied, between February and May. They must be planted soon after delivery as they do not survive for long without light and moisture. If you can't plant on the day of delivery, remove the roots from the packaging and place in a dish of water outdoors to soak, then plant within a week.

— Baptisia are fully hardy, tolerating temperatures down to around -20C, therefore don’t require and frost protection. It is not recommended to plant bare root Baptisia directly into a border as they can struggle to settle into garden soil as dormant bare roots. In addition, there are various other factors which can cause them to fail when planted directly into borders. They should be potted up and positioned outside to grow on through spring, then transplanted to borders later in the season when they are stronger and more established.

— Pot up your Baptisia into a 15-20cm diameter temporary pot using multipurpose compost. Ensure the full root system is submerged below the soil surface. The buds at the top of the root system should be level with the soil surface after planting. If supplied later in spring, they may have some shoots/leaves which should be left exposed above the soil surface. Water thoroughly after planting.

— Grow-on in a sheltered spot outdoors in their temporary pots through spring-early summer, this will give them an easy start and you should expect more reliable results. They can be transferred into a border later in the season once growth is more established. The plant will be ready to transfer once roots begin to emerge from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and when the plant easily comes out of the pot with the soil held together by the roots.

— When your Baptisia plants are ready to transfer into a border, choose a sunny position with well-drained soil. Allow the compost in the pot to dry out slightly before removing from the pot, this will help prevent the soil from falling from the roots during transfer. Space the plants 30-40cm apart if planting a group. Add multipurpose compost to each planting hole for a boost of nutrients and to help the new roots grow.

— Keep a close eye on your new plant, checking for pest damage and keeping space clear around the young plant, removing weeds and also encroaching growth from neighbouring plants to reduce competition. Ensure the soil remains slightly moist around new plants, particularly during the first growing season.

— This perennial is hardy and does not require winter protection in most areas. In very cold areas, it is recommended to apply mulch around young Baptisia to help protect them from severe weather during their first winter.

— When supplied in late spring, your Baptisia bare root is likely to have sprouted shoots or leaves already which may be pale in colour. Plant with the shoots/leaves exposed above the soil surface, they will soon green up and continue to grow.

Aftercare

— Water in after planting, and keep the roots watered regularly in its first season. Less frequent, deep watering is preferable to regular light sprinkling to encourage the deep tap roots to grow. Once fully established, watering is only necessary during extended dry spells.

— Ensure the surrounding area has well-drained soil. Digging grit into the surrounding soil will help to improve drainage if needed.

— Dead flower spikes can be removed after flowering for a tidier appearance, or can be left in place to form attractive seed pods.

— Baptisia will produce leaves in the first year and often a small display of flowers. If they do not produce flowers in the first year, providing they have grown healthy foliage they will start flowering well in the second year.

— Baptisia resents disturbance, so allow foliage and stems to die back fully before cutting back. This is best done in early spring, to tidy up the display before new growth appears.

— Baptisia is a clump-forming perennial which grows back larger and with more stems each year. Old or congested clumps can be carefully divided in early spring, before foliage has begun to grow.

— Read further general instructions about planting bare-root perennials