The Indigo Bush – A Pollinator Friendly Addition To Your Garden
Video by Sara Robertson
The Indigo Bush
By Marion Robertson
I first found this bush near Oshwegen in a native plant nursery. It was in its glory blooming and the amount of bee activity absolutely astonished me. There were honey bees, native bees, flies, butterflies and wasps all attending the bush. I’ve had it for 20 years, now, and every late spring when it blooms we are still amazed at its ability to draw hordes of pollinators.
The indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa) is a loose, airy shrub growing 6 – 10 feet tall. It is fast growing and likes medium to moist soils with sunny to partial shade locations. It is a no fuss bush belonging to the legume family so it has its own ability to fix Nitrogen.
The indigo is recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting large amounts of native bees. It is, also, the host plant for several moths and butterflies.
We hope you enjoy the video of our indigo bush taken this spring.
