Baptisia australis, PPA Plant of 2010

I routinely kill plants. Not on purpose, of course.  Often, the dead plants were cared for exactly like other plants thriving in my garden.   Sometimes I lose one cultivar that is right next to another cultivar of the same plant.   One cultivar does well, while the other cultivar struggles, then its lights out in the winter.

I like to place blame elsewhere as much as anyone else.  But sometimes one of my plants takes a dirt nap,  and it really wasn’t me.  It’s was plant.  Really.

Some plants are just super finicky and don’t do well for anyone.  The Perennial Plant Association knows that.  Some plants just do better than others.  To help guide consumers toward plants that grow exceedingly well, the Perennial Plant Association names a plant of the year.  This year that plant is a Mid-Atlantic native plant, Baptisia australis.

Known commonly in Pennsylvania at False Indigo, Baptisia is a blue flowering perennial with a shrub habit.  The spring flowers lean to purple-blue and resemble lupines.  Flowers are followed by attractive seedpods.  The leaves are perky and rich green.  Baptisia does best in full sun and well-drained soil.  It is drought tolerant.

Executive Director of the Perennial Plant Association Steven Still said, “Homeowners can have great confidence that the Perennial Plant of the Year will grow well in the garden.”  For plant selections from previous year, go to www.perennialplant.org.