Lupine
Lupinus species and hybrids. FABACEAE (LEGUMINOSAE).
Planting and Growing Lupine
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow lupine in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of lupine
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for lupine
- Season of bloom and planting time for lupine
- When, how deep, and where to plant lupine
- How to plant lupine
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of lupine
- Landscape and container uses of lupine
- Comments about lupine and its features
Growing Lupine
About 200 species and many hybrids of upright or bushy annual and perennial herbs, 3–5 ft. (90–150 cm) tall. Fuzzy, yellow green, palmlike, deeply lobed leaves, to 4 in. (10 cm) long.
Common cultivars include Lupinus X ‘Russel Hybrids’ and ‘New Generation’, to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall, with profuse, showy blooms.
Dwarf cultivars available.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many blue, cream, orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow, bicolored, pealike flowers, arranged on spikes, to 2 ft. (60 cm) long, in spring–summer.
Best Climates
Hardy. Self-seeding. Plant as annual, zones 2–3; ground hardy, zones 4–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp to dry, well-drained, sandy soil. Fertility: Rich–low, depending on species. 6.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full to filtered sun, 2–3 ft. (60–90 cm) apart, after soil warms.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Fertilize annually in spring. Deadhead spent blossoms for autumn bloom. Protect from wind. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for backgrounds, beds, borders, fencelines in cottage, meadow, natural, wildlife, woodland gardens. Attracts birds, hummingbirds. Disease resistant. Lupine aphid susceptible.