# indigo-bush (*Psorodendron schottii*) The indigo-bush is a lovely shrub that has beautiful purple flowers. It grows in warm, sunny places and is great for attracting butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Desert ![indigo-bush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Psorothamnus_schottii_%28joedecruyenaere%29_002.jpg&width=800) Photo: Joe Decruyenaere, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Psorothamnus_schottii_%28joedecruyenaere%29_002.jpg) ## Appearance The indigo-bush is a medium-sized shrub with many slender, stiff branches covered in silvery-green, hairy leaves. It sports dense spikes of small, vibrant purple or indigo pea-like flowers that stand out against its silvery foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Psorothamnus ## Interesting facts - Its leaves have tiny hairs that help reflect sunlight, keeping the plant cool! - Look closely, and its flowers resemble tiny purple peas growing in a spike! - Native American tribes sometimes used parts of this bush for traditional remedies! - This amazing plant can live for many decades, even in very dry, harsh places! ## Special abilities - **Desert Drinker:** Indigo-bush has deep roots that can reach water far underground, helping it survive long, hot desert droughts. - **Soil Power-Up:** Indigo-bush can take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil, making the ground richer for other plants. - **Pollinator Party:** Indigo-bush has bright purple flowers that are a magnet for buzzing bees and beautiful butterflies, helping them and other plants thrive. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — drinks nectar from its vibrant blooms - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses on its leaves and stems - **Eaten by:** [Bighorn Sheep](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bighorn-sheep) (*Ovis canadensis*) — may browse its foliage for food ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look at plants from a distance and don't touch them without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify indigo-bush? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is indigo-bush? 100-300 cm ### How wide does indigo-bush spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on indigo-bush? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does indigo-bush bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is indigo-bush edible? No ### Is indigo-bush toxic? None ### What is indigo-bush's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Living Desert Zoo and Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/living-desert-zoo-and-gardens-california) — California, US · Zoo ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Indigo-bush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/indigo-bush)