Flower profile
Tall blue wild indigo
Baptisia australis
Tall blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis) is a flowering plant in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.
Tall blue wild indigo is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
Quick look
Baptisia australis, commonly known as blue wild indigo or blue false indigo, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae (legumes). It is a perennial herb native to much of central and eastern North America and is particularly common in the Midwest, but it has also been introduced well beyond its natural range. Naturally it can be found growing wild at the borders of woods, along streams or in open meadows.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 28 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Kansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
- In Oklahoma, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 673 research-grade sightings of it in Kansas, ranking #28 among the 151 flowers on our Kansas list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 473 research-grade sightings of it in Oklahoma, ranking #73 among the 159 flowers on our Oklahoma list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G3 Vulnerable worldwide. NatureServe
- Kansas
- No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe has no Kansas rank for it.
- Oklahoma
- No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe has no Oklahoma rank for it.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DC (S1), GA (S1), IN (S1), KY (S2), MD (S2), OH (S1), PA (S2), TX (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “Causes low toxicity only if eaten in quantity. Poisonous through ingestion. All parts are poisonous. Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea” NC State Extension
NC State Extension flags it as a problem for cats and children. It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. NC State Extension
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records tall blue wild indigo in 28 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Kansas counties with USDA records: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Franklin, Geary, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Russell, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Stafford, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte.
Oklahoma counties with USDA records: Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Carter, Cherokee, Cleveland, Comanche, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grady, Grant, Hughes, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Major, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, Murray, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Roger Mills, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, Tulsa, Washita, Woods, Woodward.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 253 counties across 25 states; the most are in Kansas (67), Oklahoma (40), Missouri (21).
Other Baptisia on Bloomipedia (3): Prairie false indigo, Cream wild-indigo, Eastern wild indigo.
More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.
More Kansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile BAAU.
- iNaturalist, Baptisia australis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Baptisia australis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Kansas: Kansas noxious weeds (K.A.R. 4-8-44, as amended 2026).
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Noxious Weed Law (2 O.S. § 3-220).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Baptisia australis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Mark G via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.