Perennial Plant of the Year...We GOT it!

Baptisia australis : Awesome fully hardy perennial. Very large, gets up to 40" tall and bushy, so good back of the border plant. Blooms early spring w/peonies and iris. Has nice foliage all season. Baptisia does not like to be moved, so put it where it can stay. Their root system is so tough, we had to dig around the plants, then cut the roots with a lopers. Back home, we used a saw to cut them up! But, they are growing on nicely in the pots. The plants we had to 'cut up with a saw' were 3" plugs in spring of 08. We have some large plants and some tiny shoots so pick your size!
The photo above shows 'australis,' which is the species and dark purple. We have this one in smaller pots. The nice foliage is great for bouquets, but must pick mature stems and early in the day. Too late in the day ands they may collapse at the tips.

This one is the variety 'Purple Smoke.' This is the one we have in larger plants, like you got Jackie! Another purple Deb!