Amorpha fruticosa L.f.
Fully-hardy, fast-growing, spreading shrub with 30cm long leaves composed of up to 33 leaflets, and orange- or yellow-anthered, purple-blue flowers in narrow racemes in summer. To 5m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Horticultural & Botanical History
Paxton’s and Johnson’s Dictionary recognise four garden varieties: angustifolia, narrow-leaved; caerulea, blue-flowered; emarginata, emarginate-leaved; and microphylla, small-leaved, while the RHSD (First edition - 1951) commented that ‘there are many so-called varieties not worth mentioning.’ Introduced to Britain in 1724. [JD].
‘The present species belongs to Carolina and Florida, where it is known by the name of ” Wild Indigo;” an inferior kind of blue dye having been formerly made by the inhabitants from the young shoots. Introduced in 1724, by Mr. Mark Catesby. The drawing was taken this summer, at the nursery of Messrs. Colville, in the King’s Road, Chelsea. It is cultivated in the open ground, and flowers about June in favourable seasons.’ [BR f.427/1820]. Saint-Hilaire Tr. pl.11/1825.
History at Camden Park
Listed in all published catalogues [T.50/1843].
Notes
Amorpha fruticosa Torr. (1859) = Amorpha californica Nutt.
Amorpha fruticosa Thunb. (1784) = Cladrastis amurensis Benth. ex Maxim.
Published Nov 22, 2009 - 01:37 PM | Last updated Jul 18, 2010 - 04:43 PM
Amorpha fruticosa L. | Saint-Hilaire Tr. pl.11/1825 | BHL
| Family | Fabaceae |
|---|---|
| Category | |
| Region of origin | North America |
| Synonyms |
|
| Common Name | Bastard indigo |
| Name in the Camden Park Record | Amorpha fruticosa |
| Confidence level | high |
