PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Yellow Wild-indigo (Baptisia tinctoria)

Baptisia_tinctoria6-Suzan.jpg

 

 

 

 

8769.jpg

Photo by Suzan Campbell

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Yellow Wild-indigo (Baptisia tinctoria), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in oak barrens. Blooming occurs late-June through late-July, fruiting throughout August. The optimal identification period for this species is late-June through early-August.

Baptisia tinctoria var. crebra

 
 
 

Yellow wild-indigo is an erect forb up to 1m tall and widely branched. It has numerous terminal racemes with 8-13mm-long yellow flowers. Its fruit pods are 8-15mm long x 6-8mm wide, lentil- or globe-shaped. It has 3 leaflets that are ~1cm long, wedge-shaped at base, widening to a rounded tip that may be slightly notched, petioles are 1-3mm long.

It can be distinguished from B bracteata by its flowers, which are smaller (less than 2cm) and usually a brighter yellow.

Blooming occurs late-June through late-July, fruiting throughout August.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is late-June through early-August.

Associated species include Quercus velutina, Talinum rugospermum, Lespedeza capitata, Amorpha canescens, Tephrosia virginiana, Euphorbia corollata, Eragrostis spectabilis, and Helianthemum canadense.

Yellow wild-indigo is found in oak barrens with dry, sterile, or sandy soils.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid locating landings, staging areas, or access routes in open sandy areas dominated by native grasses.

Prescribed burns and/or brushing may be beneficial, dependent on local site conditions and burn frequency. Rotational burns with annual unburned refugia may be preferred.

Maintain low canopy cover areas for savanna and barrens plant species.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.