Chinese indigo ( Indigofera decora )

I love this plant. So I planted him right outside my office window. However, it is far shadier than he would like. Indigo prefers part sun, but it can become invasive given too much sunlight. It will send out suckers and become very dense over time. It is often used as a ground cover in difficult forested areas.

Leaves fall off in the fall and return early to late spring depending on how much sun the indigo receives. It can die back to the ground in cold winters, but will return when the weather warms.

In time it will become a full bush with lots of flowers every summer. This indigo was planted last summer and is barely settled in this year.

It is not particular about the soil and is known as a good plant to try in difficult areas. It is a spreading shrub, so be sure to give it some room.

Once established it is heat and drought tolerant.

Indigo will reach about 3′ tall in full sun 1′-2′ otherwise with a 2′-3′ spread.

Flowering is on new branches.

It is a very, very slow grower.

This died back to the ground in the cold winter of ’09-’10 and 2021 and didn’t reappear until late May.

I find them easy to propagate with cuttings.

In times of famine the seeds have been boiled and eaten or ground into flour.

Survived, grew and bloomed during the heat wave-drought of summer 2011.