Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight'

Carolina Moonlight False Indigo, Hybrid False Indigo

Baptisia ‘Carolina Moonlight’ — commonly called Carolina Moonlight false indigo — is a striking, long-lived herbaceous perennial valued for its soft buttery-yellow flowers held high above attractive blue-green foliage. It makes an excellent spring focal point in borders, meadows, or mixed perennial beds, and is also great as a specimen or group planting.

Key features
Width / spread: 3–4 ft (90–120 cm) at maturity
Height: 3–4 ft (90–120 cm) at maturity (flower stems can extend higher on bloom spikes)
Flower color: Soft buttery-yellow racemes held above foliage
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
Foliage: Blue-green, trifoliate
Form: Upright, clump-forming perennial
Life cycle: Herbaceous perennial

Growing conditions
Sun: Full sun to light shade (best flowering in full sun)
Soil: Average to well-drained; tolerates dry conditions once established
Water: Moderate; drought tolerant once established
Hardiness: USDA Zones 4–9

Landscape use
Borders and perennial beds
Specimen or focal planting
Naturalistic or meadow plantings
Cut flower
Mixed perennial borders

Notes


Can take 2–3 years to reach full maturity and begin heavy blooming.



Long taproot makes it difficult to transplant once established.



Attractive to butterflies and deer resistant. 

Plant type

Perennial

Height

3-4'

Width

3-4'

Hardiness zones

4–9

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Slow

Bloom time

Early Summer, Late Spring

Flower color

White, Yellow

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Green

Attracts

Butterflies

Soil

Dry Area, Loamy well-drained, Sandy well-drained

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Border, Mass Planting

Shape

Rounded

Fruit

Yes

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

Yes