If you're looking for a plant that can give you nitrogen, attract beneficial insects, is beautiful, and super easy-to-grow ... you've found it! Perma Indigo is also called False indigo and it's our favorite nitrogen-fixing shrub in our food forest. It gives you lush, green leaves and beautiful flowers that attract insects all season long and then you can chop and drop it to provide fertilizer for surrounding plants. (Amorpha fruticosa)
Note: We cannot ship False indigo to Washington State as it is considered an invasive plant in that region. Thank you for understanding.
Why We Love It
Here are some of the ways we use False indigo...
1) FERTILIZATION - False indigo is a wonderful chop and drop fertilizer plant. It fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere and pulls it into its roots. When you chop and drop the plant, you release this nitrogen into the surrounding soil.
2) POLLINATOR ATTRACTOR - False indigo has beautiful deep indigo spires that attract beneficial insects to your garden.
3) PERFECT DAPPLED SHADE - We grow False indigo over many of our rambling vine vegetables to give them the perfect amount of sun protection in the heat of the summer. It coppices really well, so if your plants need more light, you can simply trim some branches and release some nitrogen into the area as a bonus!
How to Grow It
Here's how to grow False indigo:
| SUN | FULL OR PART SUN |
| MOISTURE | LOVES MOISTURE, BUT DROUGHT TOLERANT ONCE ESTABLISHED |
| GROWING ZONES | USDA 3-9 (Not sure? Find your growing zone here) |
| SIZE | 6-10 feet tall and 5 feet wide |
| PRO TIP |
We chop our False indigo to the ground every year to release nitrogen into the surrounding soil Winter Sowing is the easiest way to start these seeds. Here's a seed-starting tutorial for you. You won't believe how easy it is! |
How to Harvest & Use It
Here's a great video about False indigo: