Description
Indigofera tinctoria, also called true indigo, is a species of plant from the bean family that was one of the original sources of indigo dye.
True indigo is a shrub one to two meters high. It may be an annual, biennial, or perennial, depending on the climate in which it is grown. It has light green pinnate leaves and sheafs of pink or violet flowers.
The rotenoids deguelin, dehydrodeguelin, rotenol, rotenone, tephrosin and sumatrol can be found in I. tinctoria.
It has been naturalized to tropical and temperate Asia, as well as parts of Africa, but its native habitat is unknown since it has been in cultivation worldwide for many centuries.
The plant is a legume, so it is rotated into fields to improve the soil in the same way that other legume crops such as alfalfa and beans are. The plant is also widely grown as a soil-improving groundcover.
Germination Guide
🌍 West Tropical Africa, Tanzania to South Africa, Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia
Moderate
Indigofera tinctoria, commonly known as True Indigo, is a tropical legume historically used for thousands of years as the primary source of indigo blue dye. It is a tender perennial grown as annual in cold climates, reaching 2-3 feet tall with pink to violet flowers.
Germination
Germination time
Expect germination in
7 – 60 days
Temperature
Min 65°C
Ideal 70°C
Max 85°C
🌡️ Temperature alternation recommended
— Alternating soil temperature during day (25-30°C) and night (20-25°C) aids germination. Optimal germination temperature between 25-35°C with highest rate (53%) at 35°C.
Substrate moisture
💧 Medium
Seed Pre-treatment
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Soaking — 24 hours
Soak seeds in water overnight to 24 hours so the seed coat swells. Soaking helps soften seed coat and promote quicker sprouting.
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🔨
Chemical scarification
Pour boiling water over seed, let stand in water for 24 hours. Scarification improves germination due to hard seed coat. Studies show 98% sulfuric acid for 15 minutes yields 80% germination.
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Additional notes
Seeds have physical dormancy with hard seed coat. Without pretreatment, germination is very low (6.7%). Mechanical scarification (light rubbing with sandpaper for 5 minutes) yields 67% germination.
Substrate & Container
Recommended substrate
well-draining seed starting mix or potting soil
Recommended container
individual pots 3-4 inches across or seed trays
Growing Tips
Start seeds indoors 4-8 weeks before last frost. Provide temperatures of 70-75°F. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep and tamp soil. Germination is low and irregular without scarification. Use larger pots as the plant has a delicate taproot that is difficult to transplant. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged during germination.
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