Lupinus Species, Wild Lupine, Sundial Lupine

The seeds need just 10 days of cold stratification. A plant researcher got a >90% germination rate from 30 minutes of sulfuric acid scari...Read Morefication. The correct legume inoculant may also improve growth and vigor. I believe it is Type H for this plant.

If you live within the range of the endangered Karner Blue butterfly you should not plant hybrid lupines or non-native lupines of any kind.

Stick with the true lupinus perennis for your area and watch out for hybrids that call themselves that (it's hard to find the true lupinus perennis that's not a hybrid because people decided to mix them together to "improve" the plant a long time back).

If you're going to grow lupines in the Karner Blue's range then make them favorable for this little butterfly. People are planting milkweed for monarchs but these small butterflies need very little plant material since they're small. Raise awareness for others. >90% of the perennial lupine has been eliminated because of human "development". As far as I know, hybrid lupines will not support the butterfly's larvae.

Most everything I've read said good drainage is necessary so if you have heavy clay you'll need to add a lot of sand. They are slow to grow and flower.

We have them all over our yard here in Walnut, CA (Los Angeles). They are native wild flowers here and are blooming vigourously now in J...Read Moreune. They seem to multiply and shoot up over night. They are a very beautiful blue flower. They certainly brighten up our yard very nicely, along with the golden yellow California Poppy, which also grows as a wild flower in our yards.

My Lupine's were gorgeous this year about 4 feet high the other not near as high maybe 2 feet will try to down load a picture of the Amer...Read Moreican finches playing on one. Have been trying to get these to grow for a few years finally paid off...

Planted in a wildflower seed packet and it keeps coming back. Now has reseeded all over. It looks lush and beautiful until late summer, t...Read Morehen I cut it to the ground and get some fresh growth. Grows in sun, part shade, dry, and watered parts of garden. I like it better than the Russell lupines--has a more airy, wildflower look about it.