lupine
Lupinus polyphyllus
USDA zones3 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size3 to 5 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Bloom color
- Pink , blue , purple
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) is a perennial for meadow and low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to moist, sandy or loamy soil. Its tall spires of pink, blue, and purple flowers rise in spring and summer. Bumblebees pollinate the blooms, and many butterfly species use it as a larval host. It is not a favorite of deer, though hungry deer will eat almost anything.
Pairs well with Western columbine, Allegheny monkeyflower, and Western sword fern.
Native range
AK, CA, CO, ID, and 7 more places. See all 11
AK, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY; AB, and BC.