Baptisia 'Burgundy Blast'

Baptisia 'Burgundy Blast': Deep Wine Spikes That Steal the Spotlight

'Burgundy Blast' pours dark wine-purple spikes like somebody uncorked the good stuff early. Shrub-sized, blue-green and sturdy, it doesn't wilt when the sprinkler is off. FULL BODIED. NO HANGOVER.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Baptisia hybrid
• Common Name: False Indigo
• Height: 90–105 cm (3–3.5 ft)
• Spread: 90–105 cm (3–3.5 ft)
• Flowers: Dark wine-purple, pea-like flowers with a buff yellow keel, on upright spikes
• Bloom Time: Early summer (June to July)
• Foliage: Dark blue-green, forming a broad, shrub-like clump that looks good all season

Where to Plant: Use it like a small shrub in the middle of a sunny border, or as a focal point in a prairie-style planting. It tolerates lean, dry soil and handles clay as long as drainage is decent. Dark seed pods follow the flowers and add interest into fall.

Companion Plants: Give 'Burgundy Blast' a sunny, dry bed with a low, colourful front row that fills in after it blooms. Iberis 'Snowflake' opens white candytuft at 20 to 25 cm in May and June. Sedum 'Voodoo' adds dark red leaves and rose-pink flowers at 10 to 15 cm from June to August. Dianthus Fruit Punch® 'Black Cherry Frost' brings dark cherry pinks edged in white at 20 to 25 cm from June to August. Pennisetum Lumen Gold™ glows bright gold at 30 to 60 cm in spring and flowers from August to October.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun, in poor to average, well-drained soil. Skip the fertilizer. Water regularly through the first season while the taproot develops, then only during long dry stretches. Baptisia takes a couple of years to reach full size and dislikes being moved, so choose its spot with care. Division isn't needed. Leave the spent flowers if you'd like seed pods. Cut the stems to the ground in late fall, or leave them standing for winter and cut them in early spring.

History: 'Burgundy Blast' was bred by Hans Hansen and introduced by Walters Gardens of Zeeland, Michigan. It came from a 2011 cross between an unreleased Baptisia minor hybrid and an unreleased Baptisia alba hybrid, both North American species, and was chosen for its dark wine-purple colour.

Final Thoughts: Plant it in the sun, let it settle in and watch the bees treat it like a wine tour. THE DEER ARE DESIGNATED DRIVERS.