Indigofera kirilowii Seeds | Kirilow Indigo
LATIN NAME: Indigofera kirilowii
COMMON NAME: Kirilow Indigo
Plant Profile
Indigofera kirilowii, better known as Kirilow Indigo, is a shrub in the pea family. Flowers draw bees from the first bloom, and the foliage keeps the fresh, feathery texture through the season. Shrub stays compact and tidy, and it stands cold well. It likes sun, and light, well-drained soil. For the gardener, the sum of these traits is a plant that is easy to live with.
Science & Biotechnology
Botanists studying the pea family regularly include Indigofera kirilowii in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. In pea family, indigo shrubs have a recognised place in studies of hardy flowering plants, and the Kirilow species appears in research on flower biology and cold tolerance. Little about its garden performance is mysterious; it has been grown and observed for a very long time.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Kirilow Indigo has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. In sunny border, the Kirilow indigo blooms without the fuss. Rose and blue spikes feed bees through early summer, fine, ferny foliage keeps fresh texture, and shrub holds neat, tidy habit with little pruning. Thin seedlings when second leaves open, so each has room to grow. Beyond the establishment year, its needs are simple and few.
Indigofera gave the world indigo, the blue of blue jeans, produced by fermenting the leaves; several species also serve as protein-rich forage and green manure.
Growing from Seed
Kirilow Indigo grows readily from seed. Surface-sow onto a light, well-drained compost, dust over a thin covering, and keep evenly moist and sunny until the seedlings show. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Kirilow Indigo repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
Readers interested in Kirilow Indigo frequently explore these as well: