False indigo bush

Amorpha fruticosa

Shrub3.5×5 mzone 4–8light shade

Will it grow where I live?

False indigo bush is hardy to zone 4 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 4 upwards.

Or check it for your location right here:

Winter hardiness by USDA zone, summer warmth by heat sum – the same values the app and the plant finder use.

Profile

Family: Fabaceae
Habit: Shrub
Height: 3.5 m
Spread: 5 m
Growth: medium
Lifespan: 30 years
First yield: after 3 years
Hardiness: zone 4–8
Shade tolerance: light shade
Soil: Sand, Silt
Soil moisture: dry – very moist
pH: 5.6 – 7.6

scented

Flowering & harvest

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Flowering

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible3 of 10

Medicinal3 of 10

Other uses3 of 10

Origin & habitat

Southern North America. Locally naturalised in Southern and Central Europe.

River banks, lush, moist thickets etc. Grows mainly on chalky soils.

Frequently asked questions

False indigo bush: how big does it get?

False indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa) grows as a Shrub and reaches roughly 3.5 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 5 m. Growth is medium.

False indigo bush: what site does it need?

False indigo bush tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.6 and 7.6.

False indigo bush: is it hardy?

False indigo bush is listed as hardy in zone 4–8 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

False indigo bush: will it grow in Central Europe?

False indigo bush is hardy to zone 4 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 4 upwards.

False indigo bush: when does it flower?

In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from June to July.

False indigo bush: is it poisonous?

Individual parts of False indigo bush are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.

False indigo bush: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 3/10, Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 3/10.

Community experience

No first-hand reports for this plant yet.

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