Baptisia australis

Blue false indigo is an upright perennial which typically grows 3-4′ tall and occurs in rich woods, thickets and along streambanks from Pennsylvania south to North Carolina and Tennessee. It features purple, lupine-like flowers in erect racemes (to 12″) atop flower spikes extending well above a foliage mound of clover-like, trifoliate, bluish-green leaves (leaflets to 2″ long). Blooms in spring. Flowers give way to inflated seed pods (to 2.5″ long) which turn charcoal black when ripe and have considerable ornamental interest. Seeds rattle around in the blackened pods which were once popularly used by children as rattles. Stems with seed pods are valued additions to dried flower arrangements.   (Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Gardens Plant Finder)