Yellow Wild Indigo

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

3a

Native Status

❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ❌ ON

Closest Direction

SW

CEC Eco-Regions

8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.5 – Mississippi Alluvial and Southeast USA Coastal Plains, 8.5.2 – Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Rarity Notes

Globally secure (G4). Native range restricted to south-central US (AR, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX). Not ranked in Ontario or Quebec as the species does not occur in either province. Not SARA listed.

S22 G4; S26 not SARA listed

Migration

Disjunct

Ecological Context

Southern Great Plains and Gulf Coast prairie species native to AR, LA, MO, MS, OK, and TX. Grows in open prairies, roadsides, and woodland edges on well-drained to dry soils in full sun. Slow to establish but exceptionally long-lived once rooted. Significantly disjunct from the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

S4 distribution AR/LA/MO/MS/OK/TX; S46 full sun, dry soil; S22 G4

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Pollinator Attractor

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

Notes

As a leguminous species (Fabaceae), Baptisia sphaerocarpa fixes atmospheric nitrogen through root-nodule symbiosis, enriching surrounding soil. Its deep root system and clump-forming habit make it a stable structural element in prairie plantings.

S46 legume; S4 compact clump

Edibility & Foraging

ℹ

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❌ Not Edible   

Toxicity

⚠️ Moderate Toxicity

Not listed in Cornell poisonous plants database. Shoot tissue contains genistein-7-O-rhamnosylglucoside, an isoflavone glycoside. No specific toxicity warnings found in sources consulted.

S38 not listed; S31 phytochemical data

Seed Source

• Northern Wildflowers