Baptisia lactea (White Wild Indigo)
Also known as: | White False Indigo, Prairie False Indigo, Large-leaf Wild Indigo |
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Genus: | Baptisia |
Family: | Fabaceae (Pea) |
Life cycle: | perennial |
Origin: | native |
Status: |
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Habitat: | sun; dry to average moisture; prairies, savannas, along railroads, open woods |
Bloom season: | May - July |
Plant height: | 2 to 4 feet |
Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): | ![]() |
National distribution (click map to enlarge): | ![]() |
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Detailed Information
Flower:
Loosely arranged spike-like racemes up to 18 inches long of pea-shaped flowers at the tips of branching stems. Flowers are ¾ to 1 inch (to 2.5 cm) long, white with a purple splotch at base of upper petal (standard); petals are positioned forward, the upper petal (standard) notched at the tip, folded up and back on the sides. The lateral wings below it are oval to oblong, tightly flanking a similar keel nearly obscured underneath, hiding several orange stamens. The calyx holding the flower is tubular, blueish green with a waxy bloom and short stalk.
Leaves and stems:
Leaves are alternate, compound with 3 leaflets, on a short stalk. Leaflets are 1 to 2+ inches (3 to 6 cm) long, ½ to 1 inch wide, toothless, hairless, widest at or above the middle, rounded to blunt at the tip, mostly tapered at the base, stalkless or nearly so, and blacken with age. At the base of the compound leaf stalk is a pair of leaf-like appendages (stipules), narrowly lance-triangular, sharply pointed at the tip. Stems are erect, usually multiple from the base, branched, smooth, light green to purplish with a waxy bloom. In fall when the whole plant dries down, the stems easily break off near the base, creating a tumbleweed that spreads the seed around.
Fruit: 
Fruit is a cylindrical pod up to 1½ inches (2.5 to 4 cm) long, with a spiked tip and on a long stalk emerging from the calyx tube. The pods ripen from green to dark purplish black.
Notes:
Both Wild White Indigo and Minnesota's other native wild indigo species, Plains Wild Indigo (Baptisia leucophaea), reach the northern tip of their ranges in our SE counties and are listed as state Special Concern species due to loss of habitat, primarily to agriculture. Both are increasingly showing up in native seed plantings and garden centers, which makes delimiting their native ranges a bit trickier. Our MN distribution maps have tried to avoid including restorations or other plantings, but these species are very likely to be included in some. A blue-flowered species, Baptisia australis, not native to Minnesota but is to our south and east, is also present in the garden trade and may show up in some plantings. All are easy to grow from seed, B. lactea doing better in heavier soils and B.luecophaea preferring sandier soil.
When in bloom our two natives are easy to distinguish, B. lactea having long, erect to ascending racemes of loosely arranged white flowers and B. leucophaea a shorter, tighter, often arching cluster of creamy yellow flowers. Otherwise, B. lactea is hairless, typically 3 to 4 feet tall, and the compound leaves are stalked, while B. leucophaea is hairy, tends to be little more than knee high, and leaves are stalkless or nearly so.
The taxonomy of B. lactea is kind of crazy. The DNR notes multiple vars of B. lactea, with var. lactea in Minnesota, but the vars are not well documented and we have not determined how many there are, what distinguishes them, or what their native ranges may be. In some references B. lactea has been treated as a synonym of B. leucantha, in others as B. alba var. macrophylla, which some references treat as a synonym of our other native, B. leucophaea, instead! iNaturalist treats B. lactea as B. alba, no vars. Due to the dizzying array of conflicting and confusing names we'll stick with the DNR's assignment until the powers that be come to a more universal agreement.
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More photos
Photos by K. Chayka taken in Dakota and Ramsey counties. Photos by Peter M. Dziuk taken in Fillmore County and in his garden.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2011-07-28 08:19:00
I did a front yard prairie restoration of sorts. I have two of these plants growing within the native beds. Kind of fun to see.
on: 2012-06-14 17:55:27
This plant is blooming right now in Thompson Lake County Park in West St Paul. It's near the south end of the lake, where the paved lakeside walking path devolves to a mowed path that heads off to the east. There are several small patches of plants in bloom, and a number of small seedlings, so it appears the population is increasing in that spot. While there are still a lot of non-natives in this park, some effort has been made to preserve and introduce more native plants, especially in some of the shoreline stabilization/restoration done by Dan Isensee's group, Blue Thumb.
on: 2012-06-24 17:18:55
There are many of these blooming in the prairie restoration area currently (6/24/12) near the visitor center.
on: 2012-08-13 23:02:02
I recently collected some of the pods from this flower for their seeds so I could plant them in my prairie restoration project I have in my yard. I am wondering should I scatter/plant the seeds this fall or wait until spring? Thanks so much,
on: 2013-06-25 17:39:37
Blooming along the creek edges.
on: 2014-07-01 21:03:06
This plant grows freely on the St.Olaf prairie, the Lashbrook Park prairie, and the Spring Creek Soccer complex. We plan to add it to our yard soon.
on: 2014-07-09 04:43:20
I had a couple of plants on the property 4 years ago, and never mowed or burned that area. I now have at least 15 plants in a 1/4 acre area, and just love their long lasting blooms and delicate foliage. The seed pods seem to get scattered naturally, but perhaps some hand planting in the Fall would help. The plant seems to spring up in the same spot year after year. Dave
on: 2014-07-31 18:30:52
We restored 40 acres of native prairie on our farm, and we now have this growing in one of our fields.
on: 2015-06-11 22:09:09
Saw these lovely plants on a high bluff above Lower Afton Rd. I see they are common in restorations -- is this a remnant?
on: 2015-06-12 05:41:33
Kristin, that should be a native remnant at Battle Creek park.
on: 2015-08-18 20:46:15
I walk my dog in the Triton High School Nature Preserve. Have noted several of these plants. Each late fall someone cuts them and turns them upside down. Guessing for natural propagation? How does one plant the seeds which I presume come from the blackened pods? Would like to start some at the lake. Any help? Thanks
on: 2017-06-09 12:56:22
Two years ago my blue/purple Baptisia did not come up. I had purchased a yellow and a blue plant on a trip with my master gardener group a number of years ago. I tried growing seeds from pods with no success. I loved these plants and was so happy to see the post regarding the plants around Thompson Lake Park in West St. Paul since I live very near there. The post is 5 years old but I hope there is a wave of blue Baptisia near the lake--maybe I can get a replacement.
on: 2018-07-29 11:14:21
First time I've seen this plant. 7-28-2018
on: 2019-06-14 11:58:14
There are thousands of these growing and blooming right now at the Woodbury off-leash dog park on a 40 acre wild grass section. Most are white but there are some purple/blueish ones mixed in as well. Just a beautiful area to walk and enjoy the wildlife. Andy's Bark Park, Woodbury, MN
on: 2019-06-24 16:16:57
Blooming now (June 24) on Keller Golf Course. In nature area between the 14th and 16th holes.
on: 2019-07-13 18:29:32
Up above the north branch of the root river. Quite a few of these are blooming right now.
on: 2019-07-21 23:19:24
Saw this plant growing in a ditch today in South St Cloud. I haven't seen this before - it's lovely !!
on: 2019-08-22 16:06:43
I saw this plant growing in a ditch on Cooper Ave in St Cloud between 36th and 37th St S a few weeks ago. It is the first time I have seen this plant growing uncultivated. It was beautiful! I have pictures!! Stearns County should be listed as a place where this plant can be found.
on: 2020-06-20 22:34:08
6/20/2020 Many throughout open fields. Wm. O'Brien State Park Wedge Hill Savanna Trail.Elongated flowers on single stem. Dramatic long lower branches.Overall a very tall striking plant.
on: 2020-06-25 12:01:22
They are blooming in huge numbers on the restored prairie in the Carleton College Arboretum, just west of Highway 19. They seem to do best in the sections that were most recently burned.
on: 2020-07-01 15:46:50
There are a few of these plants near the local Honkers baseball team field, along the bike trail which runs near the Zumbro River. I've never seen them there before.
on: 2020-09-22 10:35:00
Saw seed pods of this plant near Tamarack Lake at Tamarack Nature Center.
on: 2021-06-02 20:48:26
Saw them while while hiking in a park.
on: 2021-06-06 15:33:49
These are blooming in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, MN. I only saw a few scattered. They are beautiful.
on: 2023-06-10 19:40:53
Saw blooming today in SNWR. Have been to this area a few times over the years and haven't came across it before. Seeded from somewhere probably but happy to see something new.
on: 2023-06-11 15:49:26
Saw lots of this blooming at Afton State Park today (June 11th) around their prairie loop
on: 2023-07-09 19:53:42
Spotted on a minimum maintenance road across from my house.
on: 2023-07-30 22:18:31
County Road 101, near Larsmont Cottages, between the road and the railroad tracks about 1000 feet from Lake Superior. One or two plants in one location. I don't see any others on that five mile stretch of road between the Scenic Highway and where it dead-ends near Two Harbors.
on: 2023-07-31 07:47:58
Jon, Lake County is pretty far outside of white indigo's natural range. It was likely either planted there or it's something else.