Baptisia australis is the Perennial Plant Association's 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year™. Baptisia, pronounced bap-TEEZ-ee-uh aw-STRAH-lis, carries the common names blue false indigo, wild indigo, and baptisia. Less commonly occurring names are indigo weed, rattleweed, and rattlebrush. This Eastern United States native is member of the Fabaceae family (formerly Leguminosae). The name of the genus, Baptisia, is derived from the Ancient Greek word, bapto, meaning to dip (dye) or immerse, while the specific epithet, australis, is Latin for southern.

Blue false indigo grows three to four feet tall and three to four feet wide in an upright habit. This exceptional perennial grows across a wide range of zones and is one of the most adaptable native species.