If you are talking about false indigo or Baptisia, it is really easy to grow in Oklahoma and Arkansas, I hear, and I think there's a native variety.
I ordered a yellow hybrid variety from Wayside, but it was sad looking when it arrived and didn't recuperate once planted. Ended up planting two varieties of Joe Pye weed there instead.
I'd still like to have one, yellow or blue. Let us know how it does in the next couple of seasons.

No, this is the real thing, not the false indigo, like Baptisia. It is a native plant as well, blooms are like Wisteria, but it is a shrub-like plant instead of a vine, and without the invasive nature of Wisteria. Blooms on mine are pink; it is in the pea family. I wanted to order the one from Heronswood that has long racemes of bloom, but this will look nice in the back yard.

Susan

Have you ever seen a plant in someone elses yard and then run around like a crazy person in your own wondering where you could squeeze it in? That was my first experience with "Chinese Indigo". I was on a garden tour in Arkansas and Aaron had his paired with the mini rose Sweet Chariot. Both were the same shade of lavender purple. The foliage on the Indigo was attractive too. There is a white blooming variety also I hear. Unfortunately, I still don't have room for an Indigo. But I keep looking.

I know the feeling - but I still have lots of room before the backyard is full. They had these on sale at Lowe's for $5.99, which was a great price. This is the pink blooming. I'm trying to recall the species? I think it was I. kalesii? Maybe spelling is incorrect. But it is a native plant.

Susan

Aaron called his "Chinese Indigo" and he bought his plant from Plants Delight. Chinese Indigo is technically Indigofera Kirilowii, but his plant was definitely taller then the 18" that Plant Delights catalog states (like about 3 1/2 feet and growing). Perhaps it was the Yunan Indigo - they both sound Chinese. Did your tag say how tall yours will get?

I think it said 2-3' tall. Mine is the same species, kirilowii. Does Aaron have his planted in full sun, or part shade. I looked it up and some sites say full sun and others say part shade. I hope it will tolerate part shade because that's where it's going. When I looked it up, I noticed there are a number of indigofera species. How long has Aaron's been in the ground? I think the foliage on it is pretty cool, too.

Susan

Yes, the foliage was the first thing that caught my eye. In our climate, foliage counts for a lot. When we saw Aarons it was shady, but it could have been just that time of the day. I thought about the shady part too....I think Aaron said his plant was a year old. Wonder why the discrepancy in heights on Kirilowii? Plant Delights is southern, so its not like the (laughable) heights given by northern companies.

Don't have a clue as to the discrepancies. But, have you seen the one on the Heronswood website, or do you get their catalog? They have one that is a trailing one, with long weeping flower stems. It's gorgeous! I may try to get that next year. I've kind of been sidetracked with aroids here lately.

Susan

I don't get Heronswood catalog. The plants on the west coast are just too expensive for what you get. I used to order from Forest Farm and after a few years of outrageous shipping charges and plug like plants, I just thought I could do without. Plant Delights isn't cheap, but at least you get a large plant. What size are Heronswood plants? 2-3 inch plugs?

Actually, Maryl, I was much happier with my Heronswood shipment, than I was with the PD shipment. From PD, I lost the rodgersia, syneilesis, astilboides. I've lost nothing from Heronswood, and their prices are comparable if not better than PD. They have a HUGE selection, too. Yes, I only order plants that I usually cannot find locally. I still shop here, and find plants that are unique, usually when I'm not looking for them. However, if you actually PLAN to grow certain things, it's best to order from the net. The things I have gotten, I haven't been able to find in OKC. I only order about every other year. I have found a new one that I'm really fond of, and they send you personal e-mails and will response back and forth if I have questions, or am looking for something but don't have a name. It's Lazy S's Farms. And I think I already mentioned them on this forum.

Susan

Thanks for the info Susan. I will reconsider my options. Hadn't heard of Lazy S before. Are they internet only? BTW, I was surfing for catalogs (coincidently) that might offer something different and there was a place in Louisiana I can't remember who now, but they had Idigo Kirilowii listed as 24". Aaron may have had the Yunan variety or: his plant was in shade and reaching for the light, or it was on steroids.

Makes you wonder if sometimes the people that are producing the labels don't really know what they are doing!

Lazy S's Farm is internet only, unless you live in Virginia or are traveling there soon. Their website is www.lazyssfarm.com.

Actually, I am thinking about buying from organic or natural gardening places now. I have had so many problems with systemic poisoning of the plants I get, and trying to raise butterfly caterpillars makes it difficult when they all die. Either that, or I am going to have to segregate the new plants until I am sure they are rid of the poisons.

I sign up for all free catalogs to use just for ideas. Heronswood's catalog is $5.00, no budging on their part for that. I just surf their site and I do get their "specials" catalog around February or March each year.

I got two of the new meadow rue Thalictrum 'Illumination' or 'Illuninator' this year, and I am very, very pleased with them. While my species Thalictrum is gorgeous in spring, it is gone by now because it doesn't take heat very well. The Illuminators are just growing and growing despite the heat. The new foliage is a dusky blue-yellow; the blooms are yellow puffs like the species Thalictrum (only its blooms are pink). It can get to 4' tall, but it brightens up my shade garden, and the foliage is so feminine-looking, like lace.

Susan

I think it is Indigofera decora or chinese indigo, I call it pink indigo and the nursey did to. It is pale pink. I have had mine in the ground for 2 summers and it is not doing all that well. It is on the west side but gerts half shade and half sun. Do you know what type of fertilizer they need?

I have only looked through a couple of books on Indigo, but the best I could find was: "not picky about soil as long as it is well drained". Since I have heavy clay soil this is not encouraging, and it doesn't answer your fertilizer question either. On the sun exposure situation you have, you know that morning sun and afternoon sun (particularly in Houston) are not the same thing. Have you ever thought about moving your plant or putting it in a container and moving the container around to see what perks it up?

Well-drained soil, and afternoon shade are the most important factors in successfully growing Indigofera decora. What kind of soil is your plant growing in, and what sun exposure. If it gets afternoon sun from the West, it is probably too much for it. I put mine in the backyard where it only gets about 1-2 hours of full sun mid-day, and shade the rest of the time. However, it just went into the ground this weekend. It has been in a pot for a couple or three weeks, and is putting on new growth and flowers do not seem to want to stop at all. Since it is a flowering shrub, I would think an all purpose (10-10-10) or Miracle Gro 20-20-20 would be find, with maybe an occasional dose in spring of Super Bloom (high phosphorus, middle number).

In Houston, though, I would venture to say that filtered sun would be the best for your plant. These are touted to be grown in shade as well.

Susan