Saturday, January 9, 2016

Wild white indigo

Be quick, it sprouts in April and blooms in May, and then turn a dark brown.

Wild white indigo Sedgwick County


This member of the legume family and cousin to the blue indigo is quick grower. It flowers in May then flowers and leaves turn a dark brown. White Wild Indigo is an arching lightly-branched, smooth-stemmed herbaceous bush. Its pea-like blossoms gather in profusion on long showy spikes. This plant is popular with insects. Bumblebees are busy pollinating the flowers and caterpillars of several skippers, butterflies and moths feed on the leaves.

 A hot tea from the root was brewed as a purgative or to relieve tooth pain. Indian children would use the seed pods as rattles in imitation of ceremonial dances.

Wild white indigo Sedgwick County

Wild white indigo Sedgwick County