Indigofera hebepetala

Indigofera hebepetala is a shrub in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is deciduous, which means it sheds its leaves. Its home range runs from Pakistan through the Himalaya to Tibet. Records place it in Bhutan, Nepal, and parts of northern India. Kew puts it in the temperate climate zone. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. In Nepal, it grows in open sites in the mountains. Some records place it in shade in northern India.

Plants For A Future gives its height as 4 feet [1.2 metres]. Winter cold can keep it small in gardens. Frost may kill stems down to the ground. Warm sites with shelter may escape this stem loss. The plant tends to grow back from its base. In milder climates, stems can live and grow much taller. The source gives no top height for those warmer sites. The sources give no leaf details for this species.

It blooms from August to September, even after winter stem loss. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects carry pollen to pollinate the blooms. Records list food uses for the flowers and tender fruits. People cook them as vegetables or keep them in pickles. The source suggests that these fruits are young seed pods. It gives no more details on ripe fruit or seed looks. The late blooms add garden interest near summer's end.

Choose a sunny site with soil that drains well. The growing guide says it will not grow in shade. Yet some records place wild plants in shady sites. It suits sand or loam and likes moist soil. It grows in mildly acid, neutral, or alkaline soil, including chalk. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 7–10. It also warns that frost can harm the plant. Shelter and winter stem loss thus affect how it grows in gardens. Root bacteria form nodules, or lumps, that fix nitrogen from air. Plants nearby may gain some of that nitrogen.

Records also note its use as fuel. Plants For A Future lists no known health uses or hazards. This does not prove it safe for pets. Nor does it prove all ways of preparing food safe. The evidence names no pests or diseases for this species. Growers can raise it from seed, though sprouting rates vary. The source says to soak seeds, then sow under warm glass. Growers can also use half-ripe cuttings, root cuttings, and suckers. Young plants need a greenhouse to shield them through their first winter.