Decadence® Deluxe Periwinkle Popsicle False Indigo

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

4-5 Feet

Mature Spread

3 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 9

If you’re searching for the ultimate native perennial to add to your garden, look no further than Decadence® Deluxe Periwinkle Popsicle False Indigo! Low maintenance and long lived, this fantastic plant produces spikes of electric purple flowers that will have pollinators flocking to your garden. The vibrant, pea-like flowers are complemented by attractive, blue-green foliage. This variety of false indigo blooms in late spring and early summer, but the show doesn’t stop there! By fall, the flower spikes will give way to large, black pods filled with seeds that rattle in the wind – giving them another common name of rattleweed.

Decadence® Deluxe Periwinkle Popsicle False Indigo’s tall, shrub-like form makes it a wonderful backdrop for smaller plants. Growing 3-4 feet wide and 4-5 feet tall, false indigo works well in mass plantings and meadows, or use it as a showy specimen plant in mixed borders and pollinator gardens. Watch as hummingbirds stop by and as bumblebees push the flowers open to drink the nectar of these incredible flowers. False indigo is low maintenance, deer resistant, and drought tolerant once established, making it a must-have addition to your garden. 

Decadence® Deluxe Periwinkle Popsicle False Indigo Care

False indigo should be planted in full sun for best growth and flowering, although it can tolerate partial shade. Like all legumes, false indigo has a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It can provide bioavailable nitrogen to your garden while not needing much fertilization itself. False indigo thrives in well-drained, nutrient-poor soils with a neutral pH. This perennial can handle sandy, rocky, and clay soils. Do not plant it in excessively moist or poorly drained areas. 

Deadheading is not required since the seed pods are ornamental, but it can be done to prevent stems from flopping over. Prune back the dead foliage in winter to make room for new shoots in spring. False indigo can be divided in early spring but is often difficult to transplant due to its tough, expansive root system and deep taproot. False indigo may need to be transplanted to receive more sunlight if it is not blooming. 

Decadence® Deluxe Periwinkle Popsicle False Indigo Spacing

Plant false indigo 4-5 feet apart to give it enough room to grow. This perennial can be spaced 3-4 feet apart in mass plantings and meadows for a natural-looking carpet of blooms.