Baptisia PRAIRIEBLUES™ 'SOLAR FLARE'

Baptisia – false indigo is a tough and long-lived perennial native to S.E. USA and E. North America. The genus comprises of about 20 species which grow mostly in dry and sunny locations. In Europe it was almost absent until the end of the second millennium. But at the turn of the century it slowly became available in garden centres where mostly hybrids combining the best of each species are offered. These tall perennials exhibit a longevity of 15-20 years and make a stunning display of erect, lupine-like inflorescence.

Solar Flare is a hybrid false indigo variety, a cross between b. tinctoria and b. alba. Its rich yellow pea-like flowers open from blue buds and form about 45-52 cm long, erect racemes, and bloom for 2-3 weeks atop 130-140 cm tall stems usually in late June in C.E. climate. They are rich yellow as they emerge and turn copper orange to mahogany brown as they age at the bottom of the raceme, while new yellow flowers keep opening at the top which gives the inflorescence a bi-coloured effect. Solar Flare is a large variety and grows some 1.5-2m wide in maturity so think twice before you choose its location in your perennial bed. Palmate leaves are divided into 3 ovate, light green leaflets. It was bred by James R. Ault in 2004 from Glenco in Illinois, USA, and patented as PP20408 in 2009.

False indigo has just one disadvantage – it is extremely slow to establish hence its high retail price. But once it does it multiplies the number of stems year after year and makes almost a shrub-like appearance owing to which it is often used as a companion plant among non-flowering shrubs and small trees. It was voted Perennial of the Year 2019 by the Czech Perennial Association.

Baptisia needs full sun and warm soil. It is not picky about soil pH but required well-drained ground. Sand and gravel do miracles as they warm up the soil by getting rid of all excess water. Feeding is not required. In late autumn or early spring remove all stems just above ground level. Hardy to min. -34 °C (USDA zone 4), perhaps a few degrees lower.

Last update 08-07-2021