Lupine is an annual and short-livedperennial flowerwith a lifespan of two to five years.
These vividly colored flowers are alsodeer-resistantand beneficial to pollinators like bees and butterflies.
The plant is toxic to humans and animals.
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Warning
Wild lupine flower is an invasive plant that crowds out native species.
Its toxic seeds can also threaten native herbivores.
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Ideally, lupine plants are planted outdoors in cooler temperatures, either early spring or fall.
Add mulch but avoid fertilizer.
They can grow in partial shade, but their flowering will diminish.
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However, some afternoon shade is ideal in hot climates.
Soil
These flowers thrive in organically rich soil or loose, sandy soil with sharp drainage.
They prefer a neutral to slightly acidicsoil pH, though they also can grow in very acidic soil conditions.
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Water at least weekly if you haven’t gotten rainfall to prevent the soil from drying out.
These fertilizers may be labeled as “bloom boosters.
“Lupine already fixes the nitrogen in the soil, so it doesn’t require more.
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Is This the Right Plant for You?
Lupines can also bepropagatedby carefully taking basal cuttings from established plants in the spring and simply replanting them.
Basal propagation ensures an ongoing stock of the plants, and they may bloom sooner than seeds.
Take these steps:
Pruning Tip
No pruners?
Start lupines from seed in the early to late spring or late fall for the following spring season.
Take these steps:
Scarifying Lupine Seeds
Nicking lupine seeds to help them germinate is called scarification.
Gently rubbing them with sandpaper before soaking or planting is another scarification method.
Potting and Repotting Lupine
Plant lupine in pots in the springtime.
Cut the plant back and shelter the pot over the winter to help lupines survive.
Cut the lupine stalks down to the ground, leaving 1 to 2 inches above ground.
Mulch to protect the below-ground plant from freezing temperatures as it overwinters.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Lupine is vulnerable toaphidsare common in spring.Control pests withhorticultural oilsorpesticides.
Larger plants won’t incur as much damage, but slugs can completely wipe out smaller seedlings.
Keeping the area around your lupines tidy and free of excess debris can prevent slugs.
How to Get Lupine to Bloom
Bloom Months
Lupine blooms from late spring into July.
If they do rebloom after their first flush, they may produce smaller flowers.
What Do Lupine Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The foliage resembles palm leaves with seven to 10 leaflet segments each.
Lupines have sweet scents but various types smell different.
How to Encourage More Blooms
Lupines planted in deep shade typically won’t flower.
Remedy this by trimming back neighboring shrubs and trees for more sun.
By the fall, cut the plants down to the ground.
Common Problems With Lupine
Lupine is easy to grow but there may be a couple of problems.
Here’s what to look for.
Brown Leaf Tips
Lupines are susceptible to a fungus called lupine anthracnose.
The leaf tips of younger lupine plants turn brown and bend.
As the disease develops, more brown spots and cankers appear on the leaves.
Remove and discard all infected plants.
Flowers You Might Also Like
Lupines can potentially bloom all summer.
Encourage a second flush by cutting back the plant by half after the first flush of flowers fades.
Lupines should bloom the first year they are planted as seedlings or divided.
Lupines planted from seed can take up to two years to bloom.
Lupine/blue bonnet.Poison Control University of Utah Health.
Lupine, a controversial plant.National Park Service.
The Perils of Over-Fertilizing Plants and Trees.University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Fertilizing Flower Gardens and Avoid Too Much Phosphorus.University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension.
Aphids on Shade Trees and Ornamentals.Colorado State University Extension.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension.
Lupine (Lupinus spp.)
-Powdery Mildew.Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbook.
