SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!
Amorpha fruticosa

False Indigo

$3.00 - $12.00

Packet
$3.00
1/8 oz.
$3.50
1/4 oz.
$4.00
1/2 oz.
$6.50
1 oz.
$10.00

Bare Root Plants
$12.00

False Indigo has small, uniform leaves that measure out from the stem, airily filling out the top third of the plant.  In summer, tiny aubergine-colored flowers open from tall spires, sending bright yellow and orange stamens from individual blossoms and dusting the spikes with golden pollen.  This thicket-forming shrub is similar in appearance to Lead Plant, but is much taller and prefers to keep its roots moist.  Despite the close resemblance and family ties, False Indigo gets its common name because it produces indigo pigment - but not in large enough quantities for commercial use.  

Amorpha fruticosa is an adaptable plant, often found at the water's edge and tolerating dry spells as well as occasional flooding.  It prefers sunny locations but appreciates partial shade, particularly if the soil is on the dry side.  Depending on the site, plants can grow up to 12 feet tall and will often spread by self seeding and suckers.

A vigorous plant throughout its range, this species can be invasive when planted outside of its historic regions.  We are waiting for an updated BONAP map for this species. It is not native in Washington and much of the Pacific Northwest, Michigan, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. It is a prohibited species in Maine and Connecticut and is considered an invasive species in Connecticut and Washington. 

False Indigo is a host plant for Silver-Spotted Skippers, Southern Dogfaces, and Black-Spotted Prominents.  It also attracts Andrenid bees, which are specialist pollinators for Amorpha species.

Other common names in use: Desert False Indigo, False Indigo, Indigo Bush, and Bastard Indigo Bush

Species of genus Amorpha are legumes. Most legume species harbor beneficial bacteria called rhizobia on their roots. Genus-specific strains of this bacterium called inoculum can aid in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and improve long-term health of native plant communities. Inoculum is naturally-occurring in most soils and additional amendment is usually not needed. However, in low fertility soils it may be necessary. Genus-specific strains are available at prairiemoon.com/inoculum

Live Plant Shipping Table

Spring Fall Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots
April/May October 1 year/12"

Amorpha fruticosa - False Indigo

Map Key

Present in state
Present but introduced in county
Present and native in county; not rare
Not present in state
Present and native in county; rare
Species extirpated (historic)
State or county listed as noxious
Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

1 Question asked on Amorpha fruticosa

Does Amorpha fruticosa transplant well?
Hi Nancy. False Indigo can grow to be quite a sizeable plant. Moving a well-established specimen will be very difficult, requiring a large removal to keep the taproot intact. If the False Indigo is a young plant with only a small amount of top growth - or better yet, a new offshoot - transplanting will likely be more successful. In any attempt, avoid damaging the taproot.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Seeds/Packet
100
Seeds/Ounce
2,700
Germination Code
C(10)
I
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Exposure
Full, Partial
Soil Moisture
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Height
up to 12 feet
Bloom Time
June, July, August
Bloom Color
Purple
Advantages
Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles
Deer Resistant
USDA Zones
2-10
Plant Spacing
4-6'
Catalog Code
AMO04T