Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)

Named the Perennial Plant of the Year for 2010, Blue False Indigo is an American plant originally grown for the dye made from its blue flowers. The showy blue-violet flower spires reach 12 tall and flowering continues for three to four weeks in the mid-to-late spring. This upright shrub is a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant that grows best in full sun. There are no insect or disease problems with Baptisia and it has the added benefit of being deer resistant as well.