Ontario Trees & Shrubs website

False Indigo
Amorpha fruticosa

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) Other common names: Desert False Indigo, Indigobush, River Locust, Shrubby False Indigo

French names: Indigo batard

Family: Legume Family (Fabaceae)

Distinctive features: Shrub; Compound leaf, oval leaflets. Spikes of purple flowers.

Similar species:
  •   Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) - a tree.


Flowers: Summer;  Blue/Violet;  Irregular flowers;  Purple spikes.

Leaves: Alternate, Compound, Entire;  Compound, alternate.Oval leaflets.

Habitat: Fields and Open Areas;  Open fields.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 106   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Extremely Rare in Ontario - only found natively growing at one site - see the sign below; planted elsewhere.

For more information visit: Ontario Wildflowers

Photographs: 20 photographs available, of which 5 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

False Indigo leaves.

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

Upper side of a False Indigo compound leaf. Note the ovalish leaflets.

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

Underside of a leaf.

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

False Indigo flowers, in July.

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

A whole False Indigo plant.


Range map for False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)