Baptisia Cherries Jubilee - False Indigo

The Baptisia 'Cherries Jubilee' is a perennial plant from the legume family. Its ancestors, including the well-known Baptisia australis, are all native to the prairies and woods of the eastern and central United States. They grow among tall grasses without care, perfectly tolerating frost and dry summers.

The 'Cherries Jubilee' variety forms a bushy and branched clump reaching 80 cm (31.5 in) to 1.10 m (3.6 ft) in all directions. Flowering occurs in June in papilionaceous flower spikes with unusual tones for hybrids. The overall impression of this flowering is a very nuanced orange abundance, resulting from a mix of fawn, old pink, and yellow. The foliage disappears in winter and is also very ornamental as it sways in the wind. It comprises leaves divided into three round leaflets resembling those of alfalfa or clover.

Baptisia are close cousins of lupins, which are much better known in Europe but are much less demanding in terms of humidity, although they share a preference for acidic soils. They have robust roots that allow them to live for a long time in our gardens but require time to establish themselves. A truly visual plant, the 'Cherries Jubilee' indigo lupin can be planted in a romantic, dry, or natural garden. It is also useful for decorating a degraded plot, which often surrounds a recently built house. They look stunning alongside roses, Camassia leichtlinii 'Alba Semiplena', Eremurus himalaicus and Allium bulgaricum. It also pairs well with purple toadflaxes and hybrid mulleins, which are equally spectacular.