Plant Finder

Other Names:  Kirilow Indigo

Description:

Gracefully arching racemes of lavender-pink pea-shaped flowers make a showy display in the middle of summer; ferny foliage adds fine texture to the landscape; cut back to ground in late winter in colder climates

Ornamental Features

Chinese Indigo features showy racemes of lavender pea-like flowers with pink overtones hanging below the branches from early to late summer. It has attractive emerald green deciduous foliage. The ferny compound leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Chinese Indigo is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Chinese Indigo is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Chinese Indigo will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. This species is not originally from North America.