Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Grape Escape False Indigo: A Tall Purple Backdrop for Lavender
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Grape Escape false indigo is an elegant, shrub-sized perennial with long spikes, 12 to 15 inches each, of pea-shaped flowers in dusky red-purple. Every flower has a contrasting cream keel, so the spikes read as two-toned up close. It grows taller and flowers more freely than older grape-colored false indigos, reaching 3½ to 4 feet with deeper red-purple tones.
Behind a lavender bed, it is a fitting backdrop: purple behind purple, but in a different shade, shape and season.
Grape Escape at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Baptisia 'Grape Escape' |
| Flowers | Dusky red-purple with cream keels, 12- to 15-inch spikes |
| Foliage | Blue-green, three-part leaves |
| Size | 42 to 48 inches tall, 32 to 38 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts late May, peaks early June, about three weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators; deer resistant |
Building layers with lavender
Most lavender beds are low and mounded, which can make them look flat from a distance. Grape Escape adds the height. Plant it at the back of the bed or as a specimen at the end of a row, and the lavender reads as the foreground. It blooms in late May into June, just before English lavender opens, so the purple season starts earlier and the bees are already working the bed when the lavender comes on. After bloom, the blue-green foliage forms a tidy, shrub-like mass that makes a calm background for lavender's silver.
Underground, the two get along perfectly. Both like lean soil, both are drought tolerant once established and both fear soggy winters. Check spacing in the Companion Plant Planner so the false indigo does not shade the lavender.
Planting tips
- Location: choose carefully. Established plants do not like to be moved because of the deep taproot.
- Soil: lean to average, well drained. Skip the compost.
- Water: regularly in the first season, then rarely.
- Spacing: give it about 3 feet of width. Good airflow keeps the foliage clean after bloom.
After the flowers
In hot springs individual spikes pass more quickly, so the show can be a bit shorter. Once bloom is done, you can leave the dark seed pods standing for winter interest or cut the stems down in late fall. It is fully hardy in Michigan with no protection. The spikes are good for cutting, and the pods add texture to dried arrangements. False indigo contains alkaloids and is considered mildly toxic if eaten, so keep it as an ornamental.
Plug tray or bare root
Grape Escape is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray for growers and meadow plantings, and as a bare root plant for a home border. See each product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to bloom well?
Expect a couple of seasons while it builds its root system. After that it is very long lived.
Is it a shrub?
No. It looks shrub-like but is a herbaceous perennial that dies back in winter and returns each spring.
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