Baptisia Decadence Series Lemon Meringue - False Indigo

Baptisia 'Lemon Meringue' is one of the most vigorous varieties of indigo lupin in the beautiful Decadence series. This hybrid is spectacular, especially in late spring, when long stems of anthracite grey colour rise among its foliage. They bear grey-violet buds that open into fresh, vibrant lemon yellow pea-like flowers, grouped in spikes at the top of a bushy clump adorned with beautiful blue-green clover-like leaves. Plant this sunny Baptisia in full light, in the company of blue or white flowers; success is guaranteed, even in poor, dry soil in summer!

The 'Lemon Meringue' Baptisia, recently obtained in the United States, is a perennial plant in the Fabaceae family resulting from long research and hybridization work. Its ancestors, including the most well-known, Baptisia australis, are all native to the meadows and woods of the eastern and central United States (Texas, Oklahoma). They grow there among tall grasses, without care, perfectly tolerating frost and dry summers. Their only enemy is active limestone, when it is too present in the soil.

The 'Lemon Meringue' variety forms a bushy and branched clump in a few years, reaching an average of 90cm (35in) in all directions. Flowering begins in May-June and continues for at least 3 weeks. Above a bunch of leafy stems appear spikes of 35-40cm (14-16in), whose main stem is dark grey, charcoal-coloured, adorned with dark grey buds that appear almost blue. They open gradually, from bottom to top, into bright yellow butterfly-like flowers. On the same spike, dark stems, indigo-coloured buds, and lemon yellow flowers coexist, creating a tableau of great elegance. The foliage, which disappears in winter, is also very ornamental as it sways in the wind. It consists of leaves that are strongly tinted with blue, divided into three rounded leaflets, resembling those of alfalfa or clover. This very perennial plant is capable of living for many years in the garden, without special care once well established.

Baptisias are close cousins of lupins, which are much better known in Europe, but they are both less rigid in their posture and much less demanding in terms of soil and moisture. They have very robust roots that allow them to live as long as shrubs in our gardens. They just need time to establish themselves. A true camel plant, the 'Lemon Meringue' indigo lupin will find its place in a contemporary or romantic garden, a dry garden, or in natural areas. It is also very useful for decorating a degraded area, which often surrounds a recently constructed house. It looks superb in the company of white or blue flowers, allowing for many associations according to each gardener's taste. For example, it can be paired with roses, a Camassia leichtlinii 'Alba Semiplena', an Eremurus himalaicus, or an Allium bulgaricum. It also pairs well with bear's breeches, annual cornflowers, or hybrid mulleins, which are also spectacular.

The vernacular name 'Indigo Lupin' comes from the use that some Native American peoples made of these dye plants. Indeed, they provide colouring pigments comparable to those of true indigos (from the Antillean genus Indigofera), but of lesser quality.