Indigofera decora – Indigofera incarnata –

Description

Indigofera – There are 700 or more species of evergreen or deciduous tree and shrubs, annuals and herbaceous perennials, in this genus. They are widely distributed in both Hemispheres in tropical and subtropical regions, in a variety of habitats. They are grown for their small, pea like, pink, mauve, and purple shaded flowers and elegant foliage. The flowers are rarely solitary, often held in loose or dense, terminal or axillary racemes or spikes. The usually pinnate leaves are arranged alternately. Grow in a shrub border or train against a warm, sunny wall, low growing species are useful in rock gardens. Grow in light, moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or part shade. Prone to rust, root rot, and stem rot. I. decora – I. incarnata – This widely grown, spreading, deciduous shrub from China and Japan grows 24″’ tall and 36″ wide.   From arching branches it carries pinnate leaves, to 10″ long each with 25 to 40 narrowly oval, glossy, dark green leaflets. In mid and late summer it bears erect racemes, to 8″ long, of pea like white flowers, to 3/4″ across, heavily suffused pale crimson. Suitable for a rock garden. May die back to ground in hard frost. Zones 7-9