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False Indigo Bush

Amorpha fruticosa

False indigo bush is a fast nitrogen-fixing shrub with spikes of tiny purple flowers lit by orange anthers, a larval host for several butterflies. Tolerates wet or dry; can spread vigorously, so site with care.

Family
Fabaceae
Type
shrub
Lifespan
perennial
Height
6–12 ft
Spacing
6–12 ft apart
Light
sun
Soil moisture
moist, wet, dry
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline, acidic
Bloom
May, June
Bloom colors
purple, blue
Wildlife value
pollinators, butterflies, larval host
Landscape uses
specimen, hedge or screen, rain garden, erosion control
Native states
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV