Grow Lupins Growing Lupinus polyphyllus
Lupin flower at their best in May and June. A second flush can be encouraged by not allowing the first flowers to set seed and cut them as son as they have flowered. The tall 2’6″ spikes can be very striking in colours from white, deep purple through reds and yellows to various bi-coloured varieties. The old railway cuttings used to have blue and pink Lupins growing alongside the tracks after escaping from old station gardens.
The plants grow well from seed which is hard and round like a small pea. I soak my seeds for 12 hours before planting them 2 too a cell in plastic pots but fiber pots may be better to avoid root disturbance. Direct sowing or taking cuttings from new growth early in the year are other ways of propagating.
Other Types of Lupins
- Popular annuals grown from seed are hybrids of species such as Lupin hartwegii and Lupin pubescens.
- Lupin arboreus is known as the Tree Lupin which can form a nice shrub but I regret my specimen died.
- Lupin is now grown as a forage crop to feed live stock in some countries.
Lupin Seeds and Plants
Lupin Links
Lupins flower in May / June / early July and are a wonderful stately border perennial. Mostly Lupins are self supporting, unless they are planted in a windy exposed spot.
Lupins come in a range of colours such as the lilac Lupins at the start of this page.
This early flowering pinkish Lupin is peeping through the tulips.
Lupins in a white border can be very effective. Try collecting and planting seeds from your Lupins to grow new colours.
45 thoughts on “Grow Lupins Growing Lupinus polyphyllus”
Hi all,
my fisrt lupin has grown very well and tall,as its my first real growth i would like to know how to maintain it.
It flowered beautifully at first then pods have started in placeof it.
Do i take the pods off or wait.Do i cut the stem down an to where on the plant.
Has it stopped flowering at this stage (middle of july) or will i get more flowers till the end of the summer.
All advice would be greatly appriciated.
Big thanks in advance.
Once a plant sets seeds (in the pods) it has done the job for a year and wont flower well again this year.
As soon as furry pods start showing next year cut the stem off at the next lower leaf joint and you will get more flowers.
You could collect the seed when the furry green pod dries and try grow some more plants.
At the end of the summer the Lupin will die back into the soil but regrow and reflower next year.
I found some lupin seeds in our shed and planted them in June. The plants are now about 5″ tall, and whilst I don’t expect them to flower this year, will they overwinter all right in the ground and flower next summer? Many thanks 🙂
excellent article
Pinkish lupins are looking so beautiful! What i like about lupins is that they come in a wide variety of shades ranging from white, cream, pink, a rose-mauve, pale yellow, all shades of blue and all shades of violet, including dark shade.
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