Baptisia Purple Smoke
Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ is a 1996 introduction, selected by the late NC Botanical Garden curator Rob Gardner from seedlings at the garden. Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ is a cross of the North American native Baptisia minor var. aberrans (not Baptisia australis as is often printed) and a wandering Baptisia alba…obviously, some unsafe plant sex had taken place. The result is an extremely vigorous, deer-resistant baptisia with charcoal-green stems (when mature) and dozens of giant lupine-like flower heads of dusty purple. You will grow to love the outstanding Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ more each year as the clump matures. Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ deserves a salute for pioneering the advances in the genus, but unless you want this for historical sake, the newer hybrids we offer are dramatic improvements.
