Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Baptisia x 'Purple Smoke'
Purple Smoke False Indigo
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Height
- 3 to 4 feet
- Width
- 3 to 4 feet
- Flower color
- Smoky purple with charcoal stems
- Foliage color
- Green
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early summer
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; cut back in late fall or early spring
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 9
- Wildlife
- Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
About this plant
Baptisia x 'Purple Smoke' is a distinctive perennial known for its tall spires of smoky violet-purple flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer. The flowers rise above the green foliage, creating a beautiful contrast that adds elegance to garden landscapes. After blooming, the plant produces attractive charcoal-colored seed pods that extend its ornamental value into late summer and fall.
A hybrid native to North America, 'Purple Smoke' was bred for its unique flower color and robust growth. Its hardiness and long-lasting blooms make it a popular choice for borders, prairie-style gardens, and naturalized settings, where it provides structure and vibrant color early in the growing season.
Works well in
Borders · Sun Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Waterwise Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Bearded irises · Bee balm · Yarrow · Ornamental grasses · Garden phlox · Black-eyed Susans
Design tip
Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. Give it open sun and room to fill out, and repeat it in threes or fives so the planting reads as one sweep instead of scattered dots.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen in the perennial border at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
