Hairy Indigo

Indigofera hirsuta

Found in sandy disturbed areas, utility rights-of-way, wildlife ‘food fields’. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: About 5 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

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At a glance

Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: January to December
Fruiting season: Fall to winter

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle

Recorded in 6 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

8CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Indigofera

Anticarsia gemmatalisVelvetbean Caterpillar Moth
Cecropterus lyciadesHoary Edge
Eurema dairaBarred Yellow, Barred Sulphur
Gesta zaruccoZarucco Duskywing
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Phoebis sennaeCloudless Sulphur
Zerene cesoniaSouthern Dogface
Dichomeris nenia

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Fabaceae
Flower color: Purple
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Fall
Fruit ends: Winter

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “January to December” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Purple” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Winter” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 5 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
primary_flower_color · “purple” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

Alabama rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source