False Indigo, False indigo bush

Amorpha fruticosa

Physical Characteristics

Amorpha fruticosa is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4.5 m (14ft 9in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower in July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

Southern N. America. Locally naturalized in S. and C. Europe[50].

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Oil Edible Uses: Condiment Oil The crushed fruit is used as a condiment[105, 177, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Eczema A user has recently sent us an article in www.frontiersin.org Amorpha fruticosa – A Noxious Invasive Alien Plant in Europe or a Medicinal Plant against Metabolic Disease? which states "Native Americans of the Great Plains employed several of the more common Amorpha species for a variety of uses. Amorpha fruticosa was used for bedding material, horse feed, arrow shafts, the stems were arranged on the ground to create a clean surface on which to put butchered meat, and name “false indigo” is related to the application of the plant as a blue dye (Hoffman, 1891; Gilmore, 1913, 1919; Smith, 1928; Vestal and Schultes, 1939; Munson, 1981; Kindscher and Noguera, 2002; Austin, 2004; Straub, 2010). For medicinal purposes such as stomach pain, intestinal worms, eczema, neuralgia, and rheumatism, the related species A. canescens was used and its powdered leaves were applied to wounds (Hoffman, 1891; Gilmore, 1913, 1919; Smith, 1928, Straub, 2010). Moreover, reports for medicinal use of Amorpha fruticosa are also available: The Seminoles used infusion from leaves and stems as a general tonic and also against rheumatism and chronic sickness together with other plants; the Omaha used the plant to cure wounds (Munson, 1981; Austin, 2004)." We will research and update this section soon.

Known Hazards

The plant is said to contain alkaloids and be poisonous to livestock[274].