Indigo
Indigofera tinctoria

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb or small shrub. It grows 60-120 cm high. The branches are hairy. The leaves are compound and 2-13 cm long. There are 7-13 leaflets and these are 5-26 mm long. The group of flowers are 5-12 cm long. They are pink. The fruit is a pod 2-4 cm long by 2.5 mm wide. There are 10-12 seeds.

It is the source of the dye indigo.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in woodland.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Burkina Faso, China, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Ethiopia, Grenada, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indochina, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia

How it is used for food

The leaves are the source of a blue dye sometimes used to counteract the slightly yellow colour of icing sugar. The flowers are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Leaves - dye, flowers

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aika, Baludo, Banhebe, Banhepe, Bno, Caro, Carodim-o, Caromessem-o, Carre, Cham nhuom, Daicham, Darko, Gara, Garatchendo, Ipute, Kasti, Kayth, Kheenthey, Kudhihithi, Me, Me-nai, Me-net, Tinta, Valu muranga, Vihafilaa

Synonyms

Indigofera houer Forssk.; Indigofera indica Lam.; and others