False Indigo Bush Amorpha fruticosa Linnaeus    Synonyms: Amorpha croceolanata, Amorpha curtissii, Amorpha tennesseensis, Amorpha virgata, Desert False Indigo, Lead Plant.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Fabales   >   Family Fabaceae   >   Genus Amorpha   

Status:

The False Indigo Bush is found throughout Maryland but may be absent from the Allegheny Plateau. Most common on the coastal plain but becomes increasingly rare to the west. Because of its use in horticulture, favored planting in hedge rows and use in windbreaks many populations may not be "wild". Wild False Indigo Bush seems to favor river and marsh edges and wet thickets with lots of sunlight.

Description:

The long purple flowering spikes are diagnostic.

Relationships:

Host plant for Four-lined Cabera Moth.

There are 241 records in the project database.

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False Indigo Bush at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (5/15/2012). Also known as Lead Plant and Desert False Indigo. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (5/5/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/25/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush blooming in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/3/2014). Photo by Seth Metheny. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Howard Co., Maryland (5/15/2010). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Baltimore City, Maryland (8/24/2017). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush growing in Charles Co., Maryland (8/14/2014). Photo by Jim Wilkinson. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush blooming at Ferry Bar Park, Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/8/2013). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush (new spring growth) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/21/2019). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Close-up of False Indigo Bush in winter - Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (2/18/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush (winter aspect) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (1/1/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in winter in Harford Co., Maryland (12/6/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/8/2017). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/17/2017). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/17/2017). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/17/2017). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/23/2018). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/31/2020). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush (close-up) in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/4/2014). Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

False Indigo Bush in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/30/2016). Photo by John Hall. (MBP list)


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