When to move a Baptista 'False Indigo'

15 years ago

Someone gave me a Baptista plant 6 years ago and being an inexperienced gardner, I put it in the front of one of my flower beds.

In the meantime it has done quite well and blooms beautifully every year. But had I known the fullness and height of the mature plant I would have put it at the back of this bed as it now blocks the view of smaller plants around it.

I would like to move it to the back now, but not sure when and how this is done. Is it better to wait till Spring?

I did try cutting it back after blooming to make it more compact which helped, but it is still too big for it's current home.

Thank you for any advice out there.

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Comments (10)

lindac
15 years ago
Good luck moving it....it has a taproot that goes to China.
Linda C
terrene
15 years ago
It is a Spring bloomer, so the fall would be a better time to move it. If you want decent Spring blooms, then it needs some time to get re-esstablished. You don't mention what zone or location you are at. If you are in a northern zone and it has started to cool off where you live, and you are getting some rain, then I would go ahead and move it now. It you are having hot, sunny, dry weather, then wait until it cools off and preferably when you get some rain.

I read somewhere that this perennial needs to be treated more like a shrub. Try to dig up as large a root ball as you can - width and depth, and take care with handling the roots.
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gldno1
15 years ago
If it were me, I would just move the smaller plants and let baptisia be one of those drifting to the front for interest. I think that looks better than the stair-step approach of beds...jmo, of course. It took mine so long to bloom and look good, I wouldn't dare try to move it now.
I put it toward the front of the border too.
agnieszka
15 years ago
When I bought mine, I was told that it's very difficult to move because of it's taproot. It may not survive the move.
I agree with the previous poster: if you can, move the other plants.
hostaholic2 z 4, MN
15 years ago
I have never tried to move mine and have also heard that it may not survive the move. That said, I have also heard from people who have moved it successfully. I guess you have to decide if it's a plant you can stand to lose in case it doesn't make it. Good luck.
lilli_ct
14 years ago
I have a grouping of Baptista Austalis that is very tall (4')and leggy, flopping over just after bloom. Is this usual behavior for them? Im in zone 6, in CT and wonder how I might encourage fuller growth. Thank you!
john_4b
14 years ago
That seems to be their habit; tall and leggy. Use a cage around it to help keep it from flopping, and plant something lower around its feet to hide the bare legs.
deeje
14 years ago
I cut my baptisia back to about 2' tall right after blooming. They're mighty funny-looking for a couple of weeks, but then they regrow and fill out and become a tidy plant for the rest of the season. No rebloom or anything, but they aren't gangly either.
ginny12
14 years ago
I have a lot of baptisias in sun and a fair amount of shade (tho they much prefer sun). I have moved some and previous posters are right, they have a *very* deep root system.

But the good news is that indeed they can be moved with enough muscle power.

Here in Mass., I like to move things in the spring so they can make root growth before winter. Fall transplanting of anything has not been a big success here.

It's still early enough so that, once it's done blooming, cut it back hard and move it. Then water, water, water til fall.

A happy baptisia should not flop, unless it's newly transplanted or very young. I do lop off 12"-18" after bloom as they shade out their neighbors, my fault for planting close. But this is one of the great perennials, IMHO. No pests or diseases, great flowers and foliage, no staking.
linda8818
14 years ago
Who knew?

I should have read this before I moved my 3yo plant, which I just did. I have moved shrubs and small trees that were easier; it almost killed me!

It seemed to have multiple large roots rather than one tap root. I hope it survives, it really is a beautiful plant.