Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:

Cream indigo is best grown in medium to dry, well-drained soils under full to partial sunlight. It's not very particular about soil pH, but it does grow best in slightly acidic to near-neutral soil (5.0-6.8). Once matured and established, it is incredibly drought tolerant and only requires very low amounts of water (~1 inch of water every few weeks) to continue thriving and can typically live off of precipitation. However, if growing from a seed, cream indigo needs regular watering for the first year of growth.

Growth Habit/Description:

Grows to a maximum height of 1'-2' and 2'-3' of spread with green-grey elliptical, alternating trifoliate leaves. Leaves range from 1 1/2"-4" in length and have tiny white hairs covering them (giving them an almost velvety texture) that turn an almost black color after a frost. After late summer, leaves lose their green color and turn dark grey or black. At the base of each leaf are two stipules. The stems have a slightly purple color and are also covered with white hairs. During blooming season, small, 1" pea-like flowers face upward towards the sun/main source of light. Petals of these flowers are a soft yellow/cream color, and, unlike the rest of the plant, are hairless. The cream indigo is a resilient plant and tolerants hot and humid summers as well as drought.

Bloom Season:

After around 2-3 years of initial growth after planting, the cream indigo blooms small, cream colored flowers around sometime during April, May, or June.  In the more southern regions, this plant typically blooms earlier. Blooms usually last for 2-3 weeks before the petals die off, leaving behind large, dark colored seed pods, but it can last up to 6 weeks depending on conditions. The cream indigo reblooms every season after its first blooming.

Fall and/or Winter Interest?

Yes. Although the cream indigo is mainly a spring/early summer plant and its petals fall off before fall begins, the nice dark color of the stems and large dark seed pods not only provide ornamental appeal, the sturdy stem also gives structure to gardens since they stay upright.

Host Plant for Caterpillars?

Yes.  Cream indigo is a host plant for several butterflies and moth caterpillars, such as the frosted elfin (Callophrys irus), wild indigo duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae), orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme), hoary edge (Achalarus lyciades), and black-spotted prominent (Dasylophia anguina).

Other Known Ecological Value?

Yes.   The cream indigo attracts many of Arkansas's native bees, like bumblebees, miner bees, and mason bees. More importantly, because it is one of the first plants to bloom in the beginning of spring, queen bumblebees are known to be one of the cream indigo's primary pollinators. Several other insects feed on the cream indigo as well, including the leaf beetle (Pachybrachis luridus), seed-eating broad-headed bugs (Alydus spp.), oligophagous thrips (Neohydatothrips baptisiae), Keeler's grasshopper (Melanoplus keeleri luridus), and other grasshoppers too (Melanoplus spp.).

Origin of Name:  Genus derives from Greek and means "to dye", referring to the use of plants from this genus as a coloring dye, and the specific epithet is from Latin and references the large bracts found beneath/at the base of the flowers.

Related Plant Species:  Similar but distinct (species-wise), the white wild indigo (Baptisia alba) is a relative of the cream indigo (Baptisia bracteata) but physically different regarding its flower strucuture, foliage, and the large bracts of the cream indigo. Other relatives include the blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis) and the Nuttall's wild indigo (Baptisia nuttalliana).

Use For Food/Medicine:

There is no information on cream indigo having any food or medicinal use. However, it is widely used as a dye in fabrics.

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