Baptisia australis ‘Blueberry Sundae’

Blue Wild Indigo Fabaceae

A particularly handsome False Indigo from the DECADENCE® series, Baptisia ‘Blueberry Sundae’ produces upright spikes of intensely deep indigo-blue flowers above blue-green, trifoliate foliage. It has the classic Baptisia combination of handsome foliage, architectural flower stems and curious black seed pods, but in a more compact package than the species—rather like Baptisia australis after discovering portion control.

‘Blueberry Sundae’ was bred by Hans Hansen as part of the breeding programme at Walters Gardens in Michigan. The original cross was made in 2003, using an unnamed Baptisia minor as the female parent and an unnamed Baptisia australis as the pollen parent; the resulting plant was selected in 2007. It was subsequently introduced as part of the DECADENCE® series, with its US plant patent, PP23891, granted in 2013. 

The DECADENCE® plants were deliberately bred for shorter, more compact habits and unusually strong flower colours. ‘Blueberry Sundae’ forms an upright mound around 75–90 cm tall and wide, flowering in late spring and early summer. 

Like other Baptisia, it is a tough North American prairie plant, happiest in full sun and well-drained soil. Once established its deep root system gives it impressive drought tolerance, and it is notably long-lived—although mature plants strongly dislike being moved. 

Garden use: Superb in prairie planting, sunny borders, gravel gardens and mixed herbaceous planting. The flowers attract pollinators, while the persistent seed pods provide excellent late-season structure.

Hardiness: H5 (-15 to -10°C)
Flowering: May–July
Height: 75–90 cm
Spread: 75–90 cm
Seasonal interest: Late spring to autumn