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
 PREVIOUS  Blue/Violet Flower          Blue/Violet Flowers          NEXT  Blue/Violet Flower  

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.
 PREVIOUS  Blue/Violet Flower          Blue/Violet Flowers          NEXT  Blue/Violet Flower  


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)