Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Blue Baptisia


In the big bed are 4 types of Baptisias: B. alba, B. australis, mixtures thereof, and 'Purple Smoke', itself a sterile B. minor/ alba hybrid. My oldest B. australis looks like 'Purple Smoke' with green stems and a slightly deeper lavender color. Then this young one bloomed for the first time and the flowers were much bluer than that of the more mature one.

Isn't it a lovely violet-blue?



The older purple one


Best of all, they're side by side so they can complement each
other. Here's the purple one in front with the blue one behind.


21 comments:

  1. No foliage up north yet on this indispensable plant. Your photos make me want to look for other varieties!

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  2. It IS lovely! I grow this one! :) Well, it's out there somewhere. If the weather ever warms up it might grow!

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  3. It is gorgeous! How long did it take to reach this size?

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  4. Ooh, I can't wait for mine to bloom. It is getting scrunched out by two shrubs so I know I have to move it next year and I know they don't like being moved. Eep!

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  5. Those are beautiful together and I especially love the pink flowers in the background which I think are the perfect combination to compliment each other. Anyone seeing my gardens would figure out that I think that right away! LOL

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  6. I was certain I left a comment here but I don't see it. I was given a baptisias australis and am trying to decide where to put it. After being given this one, I saw several hybrids and now I wonder if one of the hybrids would be better.

    Yours are so pretty. Maybe I should follow your lead and grow several.
    Marnie

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  7. Tina I think the blue one is about 3 years ago and the purple one about 5.

    Monica I don't know about where you are, but here they don't mind being moved all that much. 'Purple Smoke' used to be at the edge of the path; one year late in the summer I mowed it by accident. It didn't come back up so I figured I'd killed it. As it turned out, it already had next year's growth buds and came up robustly the next spring. I dug it, thinking it would just get mowed again, divided it in two, and now both starts are about 4 feet tall.

    Marnie, maybe you were fooled by the word verification? I always try to check that the comment has been saved but sometimes I leave and the comment hasn't actually gone through. Or could be a Blogger glitch. There seem to be a lot of those.

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  8. It's so pretty!! I'm excited to see mine coming up with more flowerbuds then ever. I hope it looks as good as yours.

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  9. Those blooms are so elegant. I'm still waiting for my Twilite Prairieblues to flower, it's still early up here. But really, I have baptisia in my garden for the big bushy clean foliage all summer. I love its green leaves the best!

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  10. Beautiful photos! I love the cool blues of this plant, though I don't think it will grow here.

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  11. I must plant me some of these. They are beautiful! How long will they be in bloom? Carla

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  12. How lovely. I love the deep purples and light tones of the blooms. I bet the hummingbirds love them too.

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  13. I love them both and I agree they look pretty with the pink flowers behind. I planted one last year and it is up about 4 inches now.

    Carolyn

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  14. Beautiful photos, and such a soothing blend of purples and pinks. You have the loveliest garden!

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  15. How pretty! They are a very hot plant here this year as the nurseries are carrying new selections.

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  16. I love these plants and think your photos are perfect.....I wish mine bloomed longer. gail

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  17. Their tall purple spires are so pretty. I agree that they look especially good with the pink flowers behind, a pretty colour combination. In the third photo, they look like exclamation marks in the garden.

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  18. Indeed a lovely colour, I like those soft colours at your place, from lilac to pink, romantic garden you are showing right now :)

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  19. They're all lovely and the different shades look lovely together!

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  20. The older one looks just like the ones I saw at the Lurie Garden in Chicago last year, which is where I fell in love with this plant. Now I'm not sure which type I have, but it really doesn't matter--they're all gorgeous!

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  21. I planted three of the Purple Smoke last summer. The garden rabbit mowed them down to the ground repeatedly. I had not a bit hope for them and was shocked when they managed to come back this year. Of course, if a rabbit takes up residence on that side of the back yard, the baptisia will be in trouble.

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