Austral Indigo

Austral Indigo (Indigofera australis) is an Australian native shrub that reaches about 2m tall and up to 3m wide, with smooth blue-green foliage and clusters of bright mauve-pink pea flowers in late winter and spring. It has an open, airy habit and takes hard frost and hot summers in its stride. That makes it one of the better native flowering shrubs for cool climate gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers when little else does. Mauve-pink pea flowers arrive in late winter and spring and make a showy display against blue-green leaves.
• Frost hardy and heat tolerant. It comes through hard frost and scorching summer heat and keeps its good looks.
• Drought tolerant once established. After about 12 weeks of regular watering it copes with dry spells.
• Feeds wildlife. Native birds visit the flowers, and the native painted lady butterfly uses it as a food plant.
• Adaptable. It grows in full sun to light shade and tolerates most soil conditions, provided drainage is free.

Where it works best

Feature planting. As a single shrub in a mixed border it provides a mass of spring colour and light, open structure.

Informal hedging. Plant 2m apart for a loose, flowering hedge. Its open habit makes an airy screen rather than a clipped wall.

Retaining walls and slopes. Try training it over a retaining wall, where the blue-green foliage and mauve flowers soften hard edges.

Wildlife gardens. Include it for native birds and butterflies in a layered native planting.

Growing Austral Indigo in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade suits it. It is frost hardy, which is why it is such a good native choice for cold gardens in Canberra, Melbourne and Hobart. It also copes with heat in Sydney and Perth gardens.

Soil. Drainage matters more than soil type, since it copes with most conditions. Work in a little well rotted manure at planting, then give a slow release native fertiliser each year.

Water and feed. Water regularly for roughly the first 12 weeks. After that it is drought tolerant, and a liquid feed after a very hot or dry spell helps it recover.

Pruning. A light trim straight after flowering keeps it neat. Tip prune young plants often to build a rounder shape, and do not cut back into old wood.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Austral Indigo as tube stock and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tube stock is a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and is the economical choice for a hedge or mass planting. The 140mm pots give a bigger plant for faster impact. Expect steady growth through the first warm season.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More Australian native shrubs
• Frost hardy plants
• Bird attracting plants
• Designing a native garden for wildlife

Common questions

Can it be used as a hedge?

Yes, as an informal one. Plant 2m apart. Its open habit gives a loose, flowering screen, not a dense formal wall.

Is it really frost hardy?

Yes. It survives hard frosts as well as hot summers, making it one of the more reliable native flowering shrubs in cold districts.

When should I prune?

Lightly, straight after flowering. Tip prune young plants to shape them, and keep cuts out of old wood, which may not reshoot.