“Into the Wild Blue Indigo”

Also known as “rattle weed” and “rattle bush,” wild blue indigo is shrub-like and grows 2 to 4 feet high from a woody base. Its nicknames come from the seed pods that form after flowering. Flowers are blue-violet and pea-like, similar to bread root (same family!), and condensed upright terminal spikes that are 4-16 inches long. Members of the pea family harbor microorganisms in their root system that produce nitrogen necessary for the plant’s survival. Leaves are divided into three leaflets (trifoliate). If a stem is broken, it will release sap that turns dark blue upon contact with air. The genus name Baptisia is derived from the greek “bapto”, meaning “to immerse”, in reference to the plant’s use in creating dyes for cloth. The specific name australis is Latin for “southern.” Indigenous folks used root tea as an emetic and a poultice to help with inflammation.

Original mixed media on raw stretched canvas with maple float frame.

This painting is on exhibition and for sale at Anne Irwin Fine Art in Atlanta, GA for the month of May 2024.