False Indigo, False indigo bush
Amorpha fruticosa
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Amorpha fruticosa is a deciduous nitrogen fixing shrub in the legume family. Found wild in most of the contiguous United States, southeastern Canada, and northern Mexico and introduced to Europe. Asia and other continents. It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant. It has minor edible use and some additional uses including: Bedding; Dye; Insecticide; Oil; Repellent; Shelterbelt; and Soil stabilization. Common names, including desert false indigo, false indigo-bush, and bastard indigobush.
Amorpha fruticosa is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4.5 m (14ft 9in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower in July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 4.5
Where it is found
River banks, rich moist thickets etc. Grows chiefly in limestone soils.
Southern N. America. Locally naturalized in S. and C. Europe.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
The crushed fruit is used as a condiment.
Oil: Oil
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 2
A user has recently sent us an article in www.frontiersin.org Amorpha fruticosa – A Noxious Invasive Alien Plant in Europe or a Medicinal Plant against Metabolic Disease? which states "Native Americans of the Great Plains employed several of the more common Amorpha species for a variety of uses. Amorpha fruticosa was used for bedding material, horse feed, arrow shafts, the stems were arranged on the ground to create a clean surface on which to put butchered meat, and name “false indigo” is related to the application of the plant as a blue dye (Hoffman, 1891; Gilmore, 1913, 1919; Smith, 1928; Vestal and Schultes, 1939; Munson, 1981; Kindscher and Noguera, 2002; Austin, 2004; Straub, 2010). For medicinal purposes such as stomach pain, intestinal worms, eczema, neuralgia, and rheumatism, the related species A. canescens was used and its powdered leaves were applied to wounds (Hoffman, 1891; Gilmore, 1913, 1919; Smith, 1928, Straub, 2010). Moreover, reports for medicinal use of Amorpha fruticosa are also available: The Seminoles used infusion from leaves and stems as a general tonic and also against rheumatism and chronic sickness together with other plants; the Omaha used the plant to cure wounds (Munson, 1981; Austin, 2004)." We will research and update this section soon.
Eczema: Used in the treatment of eczema - a chronic health condition that affects the skin, causing redness, dryness, itching and infections.
Other
Rating: 3
Plants have an extensive root system and are also fairly wind tolerant, they can be planted as a windbreak and also to prevent soil erosion. Resinous pustules on the plant contain 'amorpha', a contact and stomachic insecticide that also acts as an insect repellent. The stems are used as bedding. The plant contains some indigo pigment and can be used to make a blue dye. Unfortunately, the pigment is only present in very small quantities, there is not enough to harvest commercially.
Bedding: Used as a lining for sleeping on or putting fruits etc on.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Fodder: Food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them) rather than forage for themselves.
Insecticide: Kills insects.
Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Shelterbelt: Wind resistant plants than can be grown to provide shelter in the garden etc.
Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.
Agroforestry Services: Alley crop: Integrates annual crops with rows of perennials.
Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow: Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen: Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
Agroforestry Services: Windbreak: Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.
Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
Industrial Crop: Pesticide: Many plants provide natural pesticides.
Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
Minor Global Crop: These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.
Agroforestry Services: Alley crop: Integrates annual crops with rows of perennials.
Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow: Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen: Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
Agroforestry Services: Windbreak: Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.
Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
Industrial Crop: Pesticide: Many plants provide natural pesticides.
Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
Minor Global Crop: These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
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
Prefers a light well-drained sandy soil in sun or light shade. Plants are fairly wind-resistant. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25c. A polymorphic species, there are many named forms. The flowers have a vanilla perfume. Plants resent root disturbance, they should be planted out into their final positions whilst small. Trees only ripen their seed in fine autumns. Plants are said to be immune to insect pests. 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. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 8 through 1. (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. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots forming a plate near the soil surface. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from underground runners away from the plant.
Propagating it: Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow early spring in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 20°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, June/July in a frame. High percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, autumn, in a sheltered position outdoors. Takes 12 months. Suckers in spring just before new growth begins. Layering in spring .
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
The plant is said to contain alkaloids and be poisonous to livestock.
An invasive weed in Connecticut (false indigo): Potentially invasive, banned and Washington (indigobush) Class B noxious weed/noxious weed seed and plant quarantine