Chinese indigo
Indigofera heterantha
RHS AGM 1993
USDA zones5 to 8
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterNeeds moderate soil
Size4 to 6 feet tall4 to 6 feet wide
- Habit
- Open
- Bloom color
- Purple
- Foliage color
- Blue, gray/silver, green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
Garden uses
Notes
Chinese indigo (Indigofera heterantha) is a shrub for borders and as an accent. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full or part sun, average moisture, and sandy, loamy, or clay soil. It grows 48 to 72 inches tall and wide with an open habit. The purple blooms and blue, gray, and green leaves add color to the garden. It is also drought tolerant.
Pairs well with Peony, Blue Chiffon rose of sharon, Queen of Night tulip, and Cotoneaster.
Native range
Africa, Benin, Burkina, Gambia, and 5 more places. See all 9
Africa, Benin, Burkina, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and Togo.