Plant Min Zone: 4a
Plant Max Zone: 9b
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Average, High
Soil Quality: Poor, Average
Bloom Season: Spring, Early Summer
Flower Color: Purple, Orange
Berry / Fruit Color: Brown-Beige, Purplish Black
Spring Foliage Color: Mint Green
Summer Foliage Color: Mint Green
Fall Foliage Color: Mint Green, Yellow
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: High
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Medium, High
Poor Soil Tolerance: Sandy Soils, Clay Soils, Acidic Soil (low PH), Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 4' - 10'
Width: 4' - 10'
Growth Rate: Fast
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Medium
Spreading Potential: High
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Shrub to Desired Size in Winter, Spring or Summer: Not Grown for Flowers or Fruit.
Plant Grouping Size: Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10, Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Tolerates Periods of Standing Water, Top of Retaining Wall Locations, Base of Retaining Wall Locations
Ornamental Features: Other Features not listed
Special Landscape Uses: Naturalizing, Erosion Control
Possible Pest Problems: Foliage Disease
Plant Limitations: Aggressive Rhizomes / Runners, Lack of Ornamental Features, May Be Too Invasive for Garden Use
False Indigo Shrub (Amorpha fruticosa) is a 6-10 ft., loose, airy shrub which often forms dense thickets. The blooming season is relatively short but the pinnately compound leaves offers lasting interest and a "Wow" factor. The foliage is pinnately compound, fine-textured, and turns gold in the fall lasting for a week or two. Older plantings may be rejuvenated as they do develop a leggy character with the majority of their foliage on the upper third of the plant. This is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae so it is able to make its own nitrogen. False Indigo Shrub tolerates many types of soil including wet sandy soils. Other names include desert false indigo, false indigo-bush, and bastard indigobush. It is native to North America and has potential to be invasive in parts of the country but not so much in Kansas.