This perennial pea is flowering in the Herbaceous Beds.
This clump-forming perennial is a native of north-eastern North America where it grows in mixed woodland, thickets and stream banks, in dry, shallow, rocky soils. It has trifoliate, clover-like foliage, and can grow to 1.2m in height. Erect flower spikes are up to to 30cm in length. The pea-like flowers produce inflated pods containing several seeds, and these rattle when shaken, and were given to children as rattles. The flowers were used by early colonisers to produce a dye, inferior to true indigo (Indigofera), hence the common name false indigo. The genus takes its name from the Greek bapt, meaning to dye. This is a valuable ornamental, drought-tolerant species for a dry, sunny or partially shady spot in the garden.