I'm considering taking something out to add in a baptisia australis or one of the new hybrids (Twilite, etc.). I was wondering how others had fared with this plant. ?
Baptisia - thoughts?
Baptisia is great!- -but they grow quite large and do not move easily due to a significant tap root. Originally I put mine in a bed w/ other perennials and THEN saw a mature one (stunning) and read about the tap root. I moved it the next season and was amazed at how deep the root had grown in that short time. I relocated it near some deep beds for veggies, but basically a spot by itself, across a path from a large perennial bed. It is easily, 4ft x 4ft - and has the look of a BUSH. It draws comments all season. The size is amazing, considering they start w/ a few stems in a nursery pot. With other plants I don't hesitate to plan to divide later if something outgrows its spot. For baptisia, if it runs out of room, it would be easiest to keep removing plants around it as needed.
I've had Baptisia for a few years now and love it. Haven't tried dividing it or moving it as I had read about that tap root, but it's quite lovely in the spring and adds some different texture during the rest of the season.
It does need full sun. I have a plant in part sun, and it isn't a thing of great beauty.
Full sun is something I definitely have plenty of; my front faces due east and my back faces due west. I was wondering about the growth rate when I saw the mature size range. Yep, sounds like my very blighted Peace rose bush (losing its battle with black spot) is headed for retirement to make way for a baptisia. I have a hydrangea in the area, too, so the color combo will be nicely blue-purple.
OOooh, I planted a very teeny tiny itsy bitsy Baptista Minim seedling. but I'm going to have to work on the full sun part. (The teeny tiny itsy bitsy part is because I winter sowed it. ) So far it's about 6" high! I put it in the way back of my teeny tiny itsy bitsy little garden - it's supposed to be significantly smaller than other Baptistas when it grows up.
I'll have to check that one out. Thanks!
LOL I tried to move one of these one time. I didn't realize how large they can get when I planted it. After seeing one at a friends garden that must have been 8 feet around, I thought I would move mine. NOT!!! It had been there about 3 or 4 years. I dug and dug around it. I sharpened the shovel, and hacked at it some more. Finally, I took a hatchet, pruners, loppers, a pruning saw blade and finally an axe to the root - I injured it but never did cut it. I gave up! The darn thing grew like I never did anything to it. I finally killed it with straight Round up. But I bet that root is still in the ground all these years later! Just love the soft purple blooms. My neighbor works for a famous and wonderful perennial nursery. She recommends one of the newer yellow varieties. But I have not put one in yet! When I do, it will not be in one of the flower beds, but along the edge of the woods or something!
Yellow Baptisias are great! I have Carolina Moonlight...soft yellow flowers and never a care in the world...There are also some brighter yellows that are purty:-)
daylily, I recently tried to move a couple of Baptisia as well :( I don't know what's wrong with me, I knew they would get huge but when I planted them I just needed to find a spot quick and thought next to a pretty red Japanese Maple would look nice - NOT! Well...the contrast of red and blue foliage was great, but the Baptisia was way too big! When I decided to take them out I had every intention of trying to save them and plant elsewhere. I absolutely hate to deliberately kill a plant but after struggling for over an hour in the heat I finally dug out every "weapon" I could find to destroy the plants :( I know I didn't get all of the roots and won't be surprised if they show growth next spring but at least I made a sincere effort! If I had been smart I would have planted Carrie's "little" Baptisia there http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/114850. We have this one growing in a different spot and it's a lovely Baptisia - PF information is incorrect though, this one only gets about 15"-18" high and would have been perfect under the Maple.
I'm not looking forward to it, but I have one more to move and this is one I HAVE to save! We bought it years ago from Plant Delights and I think it's this one http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/05672.html. It was planted in an area that used to be full sun but the trees have grown so much it's now in way too much shade and needs to be moved. It's so much nicer than the other yellows we have and I definitely don't want to lose it. Wish me luck!
Thanks, Debbie, but it's not really "my" little baptista YET. It's still my tiny seedling! I'm glad to hear it won't grow into a monster, though. ^_^