My first post on ATP. See some familiar faces here, HA,HA! VG...Rose, JoAnn and CO! I have one of those Baptisia for about three years now. like they said, it creeped the first year then the second it took off. The bloom cycle is very short.
Gurney is part of the Michigan Bulb, Brecks, Springhill Nursery and Garden Alive little clique. I have gotten plants from MB, SHN and Brecks in the past. Some good some bad. I have gotten fertilizer and misc from GA, I was pleased with their product. I believe I got the Kelp Meal and the perennial fertilizer from them. I have gotten some daylilies from MB that didn't bloom true to name. I don't have time to argue or request new plants even with a lifetime warranty. My best sources are Morning_star on the LA, Gracefulgardens.com, Bluestoneperennials, Selectseeds.com. The Jury is still out on several others. My worst experiences came from Kelly's Nursery and Burgess Seeds and plants. they seem to keep expanding themselves. I believed they bought Dutch Gardens. Mike

Glad to see you here
and thanks for the in put on some places you have tried
WE have a great place to let people know about the places you like , at the top called recommendations. It is in need of input and yours would be greatly appreciated

Mike!

Glad to see you here and thanks for the information. I have also ordered from Bluestone and I love the selection, just not the coco pots but easy enough to fix right?

Hi Mike. Gotta check the daylily group more familiar faces there.

Baptisia is an awesome replacement for Lupines. They can tolerate the heat and humidity here just fine. "Purple Smoke" is one of my favorites.

I love the Purple Smoke and also got my eye on a Screaming Yellow..

I want Screaming Yellow too. I always bring the Baptisia seed pods in and put in a vase. They look good when they turn black.

Hummm, I might need to see those.
Do they come true from seed? I got two Australis Baptisia Plants in the fall, so I am hoping they do well. Love that Redneck Lupine!!

A big ATP to you Mike!

May have to consider some Baptisia. They are saying to expect another summer of heat and drought. It would be nice to have something that will bloom!!

hey Mike!!

Just a reminder baptisia blooms much earlier than lupine
This is it in my (zone 5)garden in mid May.

I have grown this plant for 14+ years it is a long lived perennial that takes no special care.

Works for me!!

Here's another reason to like Baptisias...The seed pods are just as interesting as the blooms.

Nice!

Mike,welcome!

Actually, about time you got over here. LOL.

Both lupine and baptisia have long tap roots so they are hard to transplant, if you have volunteers, dig them up early. I have grown lupines from seed and they volunteer freely, but that was when I was in Michigan and Maryland. I have not had any luck in GA. Too hot? Although, I did plant some at my son's house and they did fine. Score the seeds with nail file and soak overnight or plant in the fall and forget until spring. I got my seeds from Summer Hill Seeds. When I moved from Md. my neighbor dug up some of my baptisia and even though it doesn't like to be transplanted she said it survived.

Arlene!

Thanks, jvdubb. I am learning how to get around here. I really like this site!

..Arlene!...

You are right about the Lupine. Too hot and humid here too. Stick with the Baptisia, the Redneck Lupine.

Thank you, virginiarose. I am sorry I am not able to grow lupine here but there are so many other things I can grow and things that are perennial here that were not in MD so I can be excited about that. Not to say I won't try again. Like I am trying rhubarb! I know, it won't grow here. But we are experimenting with a raised bed near the woods so it gets some shade. Lots of compost and water. Fingers crossed.