Baptisia australis

Baptisia australis (02/07/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Flowering period: Early summer

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 1.5m

Eventual Spread: 1m

Hardiness: 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a

Family: Papilionaceae or Fabaceae

Baptisia australis Flower (02/07/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Baptisia australis is a deciduous shrubby perennial with a clump forming habit. Its green/ grey leaves are trifoliate. Its leaflets are ovate with entire margins. Its violet flowers are up to 25mm long and appear as terminal erect racemes which are up to 20cm long and above its leaves. Its dark grey fruit are cylindrical bean like pods and up to 6cm long. Its roots contain rhizomes and if left undisturbed this plant will form a tap root.

Baptisia australis, commonly known as False Indigo, Blue Wild Indigo or Bastard Lupine, is native to central and east North America. All parts of this plant are toxic if ingested. In its native habitat it grows at woodland margins and open meadows.

Baptisia australis Leaf (02/07/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

The etymological root of the binomial name Baptisia is derived from the Greek baptos meaning ‘dyed’, in reference to its historic use as a dye. Australis is from the Latin meaning ‘southern’.

The landscape architect may find Baptisia australis useful as a free flowering perennial. Once established this plant is drought tollerant. This plant may open up after flowering, staking may be used to help prevent this.

Baptisia australis Seed Pod (02/07/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Ecologically, Baptisia australis flowers are attractive to pollinating insects, including butterflies.

The Royal Horticultural Society have given Baptisia australis their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993.

Baptisia australis prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil, although it prefers a slightly acid soil. It will tolerate poor soils.

Baptisia australis requires little maintenance. Large clumps may be dived every 4 to 5 years.



Landscape Architecture

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy'(02/07/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Flowering period: Spring to early summer

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 9m

Eventual Spread: 10m

Hardiness: 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

Family: Fabaceae

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ is a small deciduous tree or large shrub with a spreading sometimes multi-stemmed habit. It purple leaves are inversely heart shaped with entire margins, up to 12cm long and 12cm wide. Its bark is dark and smooth. Its dark pink to white flowers are pea like, up to 15mm long and appear before its leave in clusters on old wood. Its fruit is a pea like seed pod, when mature it is brown and up to 10cm long.

The species Cercis canadensis, commonly known as Eastern Redbud, is native to east North America. In its native habitat it grows within deciduous woodlands, usually as an understory plant or at their margins.

The etymological root of the binomial name Cercis was a name given to the plant by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus. Canadensis is derived from the Latin meaning ‘from Canada’.

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ Leaf (02/07/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

The landscape architect may find Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ useful as a small tree with attractice spring flowers and purple leaves.

Ecologically, Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ flowers will attract pollinating insects, including bees.

The Royal Horticultural Society have given Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ their prestigious Award of Garden Merit 1993.

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ prefers moist, humus rich, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ requires little maintenance. Dead or damaged material may be removed at the end of winter.



Landscape Architecture

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ (22/05/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Moist, well drained

Flowering period: Late spring to early summer

Eventual Height: 9m

Eventual Spread: Up to 5m

Hardiness: 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Family: Fabaceae

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ is a woody deciduous climber with a twining habit. Its mid green leaves are pinnate, composed of up to 13 leaflets and up to 30cm long. Its leaflets are ovate to elliptic with entire margins, up to 6cm long and 3cm across. Its leaves turn yellow in autumn before they fall. Its tendrils will twine around a support structure in a counter clockwise direction. Its fragrant purple and white flowers are pea like, borne in long pendant racemes of up to 60cm and appear at the same time as its leaves. Its fruit are bean-like velvety green seed pods which are up to 10cm long.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ Flower (22/05/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

The species, Wisteria floribunda, commonly known as Japanese Wisteria, is native to Japan.

The etymological root of the binomial name Wisteria is named for Kasper Wistar, a German anatomy and anthropologist professor at the University of Penn, hence the occasional spelling Wistaria, although this was not the original spelling of the name. Floribunda is derived from the Latin floridus meaning ‘flowery’ and the epithet bundus meaning ‘having the capacity for’.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ Leaf (22/05/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

The landscape architect may find Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ useful as a fast growing fragrant climber with attractive flowers. This climber requires a support structure for its tendrils to twine around. It should be noted that grafted specimens will flower immediately, not grafted may take several years to flower.

Ecologically, Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ flowers are attractive to pollinating insects, including bees. All parts of this plant are mildly toxic to humans.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ Stem (22/05/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It dislikes dry soils.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’ requires biannual pruning to promote good form and free flowering. Please see the RHS website for detailed description of pruning methods for Wisteria, including step-by-step instructions on how to train the plant into a self-supporting tree standard.



Landscape Architecture