Chinese indigo
Indigofera decora

Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Purple, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late spring, Mid summer. Form: Rounded.

Indigofera decora is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

River banks and old stone walls in C. and S. Japan.

E. Asia - China, Japan.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Seed - cooked. It can also be dried and ground into a powder then mixed with wheat flour or other cereals when making bread, cakes etc.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 1

A broth made from the leafy shoots is used in the treatment of cough, dyspepsia, haemorrhage and poisoning.

Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.

Other

Rating: 3

Nitrogen Fixer.

Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Border, Foundation, Massing, Specimen. Requires a light or medium well-drained soil and a warm sunny position. Succeeds on chalk. Prefers growing in areas with warm summers. Plants are hardy to about -10°c. The top-growth is not very winter-hardy however, the stems are often cut back by cold weather but new shoots are produced in spring and these flower in late summer. A very ornamental plant, it is closely related to I. fortunei. The flowers, which are borne over a period of about 20 weeks, have a vanilla scent. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Special Features:Not North American native, Attracts butterflies, Attractive flowers or blooms. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 7. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown.

Propagating it: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow February in a warm greenhouse. The germination can be variable. Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse for the first winter, planting out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel if possible, July/August in individual pots in a frame. Good percentage. Overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in late spring or early summer. Root cuttings 3cm long in December. Good percentage. Suckers. Remove them in the dormant season, preferably towards the end of winter, and plant out into their permanent positions.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; South Wall. In. West Wall. In.

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 5-7

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

I. incarnata. Hedysarum incanum. Thunb. 1784. - this does not relate to I. incanum. Hedysarum incarn