chicagoland grows

Midnight Prairieblues False Indigo

Baptisia ‘Midnight’ PPAF

This selection emerged from a controlled cross of Baptisia (B. tinctoria x B. alba) x B. australis conducted by Dr. Jim Ault at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. The plant boasts an upright, vase-shaped habit with extremely long inflorescences bearing deep blue-violet flowers. The long flower stalks make extraordinary cut flowers. The plant has two intermingling bloom cycles within its blooming season. The first cycle produces long primary inflorescences up to 27" long. The second cycle produces blooms on secondary branches with inflorescences up to 5" long. Having two consecutive bloom cycles helps this plant stay in bloom for the entire month of June — a good 7 to 10 days longer than any other Baptisia. Mature plants measure to 3 1/2' to 4' wide and 4' to 5' tall. Zones 4-8.