Japanese name: ニワフジ（庭藤） Scientific name:Indigofera decora
[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 60 cm tall, found on rocks along mountain streams and similar places.
The leaves are alternate and odd-pinnately compound, consisting of 9–15 leaflets.
The leaflets are ovate, 2.5–7.5 cm long and 1–3 cm wide, with white hairs branching in a T shape on the underside.
Racemes 10–20 cm long emerge from the leaf axils, bearing dense, reddish-purple pea-shaped flowers 1.5–1.8 cm long.
Occasionally the flowers are white.
The fruit is a cylindrical legume 3–6.5 cm long.
[Uses]
The young branches are used medicinally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings or division.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained site.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
