Sorry I can't widen your experience with baptisia but will vote in favor of growing them no matter what their bloom color. I've got a total of five plants which are (all but one) species Baptisia australis and will swear they are, hands down, one of my most carefree perennials.

It's been my experience they come up reliably every year, put on a show (that bees love) without needing any help from me. They thrive all season long while asking for nothing in terms of water except whatever rain falls as well as zero protection from pesticides or tending/pruning/fertilizing. They exuberantly return the following season to put on yet another performance.

My own plants go dormant in fall but require no pruning or cutting back--they simply die back and return once the weather warms up the following season.

What's not to like?

I haven't had success growing other cultivars from seed but since the species have been so healthy (+ my beds are pretty full), haven't really paid much attention to other colors.

I like the smaller size of the Caroline Moonlight and may have to search for that one. Thanks for providing the photo!

My Carolina Moon is huge. As others have said she blooms reliably even with the ongoing drought we have had since 2007. She dies back on her own and then comes forth every Spring. You can't transplant or propagate them though. They are extremely deep rooted and very picky. I have planted numerous blue ones and only one has come up. It hasn't bloomed this year but I am hopeful for next year.

{{gwi:694609}}

Trailrunner's comment got me doing a bit of research to see how large the two plants are. The sources I checked all gave similar heights for B. australis and B. 'Carolina Moonlight', around 4'. In my garden CM has been about a foot shorter than my australis for their 4 seasons in my garden. They are growing just a few feet away from each other. But it sounds like my experience isn't the norm, so you'd best not grow CM hoping for a smaller size.

I transplanted a 3 year old Baptisia australis this spring. I had a very hard time getting any kind of root ball and ended up basically yanking the poor plant's roots out of the ground. It sulked along for a couple of weeks but it now full and going strong. If you can get the roots out, they can successfully be transplanted.

Carolina Moonlight has been a very mediocre performer for me. I have 3 stems each on two plants that have been in the ground for at leas 4 years. In contrast the normal species is shrub size. I also don't get any seedheads on Carolina. Is she a sterile hybrid?

I don't get seedpods on Carolina Moonlight or on Purple Smoke, though I do on the straight species B. australis.

I had some species baptista which I collected seed from. The original plant died this past winter. BUT the seed I collected has now sprouted and is growing. My question is should I grow in pots for a couple years first, or should I go ahead and plant them out in the garden?

Jenny P

Jennypat,
Because of the deep tap root,they need to be in the ground ASAP to allow that root to dive deep and get established. I started some from seed this spring and when I planted out the tiny seedlings, I was amazed at the size and length of the central root compared to the little leaves. I'd get them in the ground now. Good luck.

Mrtha

Great! Now that means I actually have to decide WHERE to plant them! But before I can plant them I have to weed. It's amazing how weeds can take over when you go away for 2 weeks. I can hardly find the good stuff!

Thanks Mrtha

Well this thread bums me out just a bit. My poor 'Purple Smoke' didn't make it back this year. Not that it was anything more than a weak sprig last year, but still...

So what do all of you think is the trick to growing Baptisia?
CMK

In my situation, it's keeping out the voles . . . Last year my B. autralis was 4 feet high and had so many stems that were so large that it bent the double ring I put around it to prevent it smothering other nearby plants. Here it is early in the season.
{{gwi:263537}}From June 5, 2012

This year I barely have 3 little stems since the voles ate it, along with all kinds of other plants last winter. I will have to put a hardware cloth collar around it if it is going to survive, and I expect to do the same for other plants in this bed.

In general I have acid fine sandy loam soil with quite a bit of organic material added where I put planting beds. They end up being the classic moist, well-drained soil.

I have had my Baptisia for ten years. It has grown fine until last year and this year when it hasn't produced any flowers. Bush is same size and foliage is good. Just no flowers. Anyone know why?

Baptisia sphaerocarpa 'Screaming Yellow' looks great with blue salvia.

Barbara Johnson, did you use a high nitrogen fertilizer? That can cause leaves at the expense of flowers. Otherwise, I would be likely to assume it is something weatherwise and see what happens next season.

Thanks. I didn't use high nitrogen fertilizer so I guess I'll wait until next season to see what happens. At least the foliage looks pretty.

I have three of the "screaming yellow" varieties and they are huge. I love them as they look great with the purple alliums that are planted in the same area. The only problem is that they they are very tall and have overshadowed other plants in the bed. I may move them. I also have the wild purple baptista and it's huge as well. I love the color of all 4 of them - i have 3 yellows and 1 purple.

Thanks Bella. Sounds beautiful. I think maybe it's not getting enough sun now that my trees have grown large. I just may get another one and plant it somewhere there is more sun for it

i loved reading about everyone's baptisia-- I have one large plant of Baptisia
Australis, quite reliable for 15 + years. I like to have a similar colored Siberian Iris nearby-- Caesar's Brother, I think. About 3 years ago I planted an area with thinnings from Amsonia Tabermontana in front and to one side of the Baptisia. For two years the amsonia seemed too small to blend well but this year the size contrast was better. The three plants overlap for part of their blooming time. I wish Baptisia would hold its flowers longer.

I don't know where you all are growing them but they do not do well here in hot humid central NC. I get a couple of feeble blooms from the purple ones in spring. Now the leaves are getting black and eaten by something. The Carolina yellow one disappeared after a few years of showing up and not blooming. No one else tries to grow them here. (One of my neighbors did but theirs disappeared too). I think I may give up and dig it out. They may do better in cooler climates. I think they did better here before climate change, at least 10 years ago they bloomed better here.

Thanks for all the responses. Beautiful gardens! I'm sure now that mine aren't getting enough sun. Know they don't like transplanting so I guess I'll try a few new ones next year.