The False Indigo Bush is a shrub that reaches 6-10 feet in height. Expect showy, fragrant purple blooms with gold stamens May through June. Provides nectar to numerous native bees and wasps. Larval host to 30 species of Lepidoptera including the Southern Dogface, Io moth, and several of the Underwing moths. Food source for game birds like the Northern Bobwhite Quail. Provides dense cover and nesting habitat for Red-winged Blackbirds. Prefers moist to medium soil and full sun to light shade.
Fixes nitrogen in the soil. Forms thickets rapidly, holding stream banks together with its extensive fibrous root system. Can handle occasional flooding. Would make an excellent “living fence.”
