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”
Lupins are susceptible to aphids and they can bring in bacteria. I would spray with a combined insecticide and fungicide. Belt and braces may be.
Also Lupins need water to thrive – is your soil very dry?
My lupins had little white flies on them when they were in bud. Are these injurious to the plant and what can I use to get rid of them.
I am afraid they sound like greenfly and will not do the plant any good. If you want to be organic you can squish them with your fingers before they become to prolific or wash them off with a jet of soapy water.
When do I harvest the seed pods for re-planting in the spring.
Do they need to dry-off before taking them from the plant?
Let lupin seeds dry on the plant in the furry pods. As they darken and go brittle you can pick them and harvest
When you cut lupins back before seeds set to encourage new flowers to grow – do you cut them at the very bottom of the old stem or just beneath the flowerhead?
There is usually a bud breaking below the flower stalk. Cut above the bud or just below the last seed pod.
I split my lupin plant early this year as I had made a new bed and wanted some of it in there. Imagine my surprise when the new plant produced silver and blue flowers whilst the original continued to flower pink. What has happened here?
when is the best time to take the pods and where do I cut on the stalk?
thanks mavis
when i have removed my pods from the lupins where do i store them and at what time of the month do i replant them
Remove pods when they dry or start to dry. Store seeds in the dry and dark. Sow in late winter through to mid summer. If you sow now in July protect the plants when you plant them out.
My lupins have been great during june and july. Now in august one plant in particular, is very healthy but as the indvidual flower buds appear on the flower stems they are being ‘removed form the base upwards as they grow. There is no visible sign of a pest, aphid beetle etc what is the likely cause?
I still think it is aphids. Slugs and rabbits would eat the leaves as well.
I put some seeds from my lupins in a pot after they had flowered and I now have a pot of lupins about 1″ tall, what do I do with them over winter and is there any chance I will get plants from them? I’m not much of a gardener but am interested to see if I can get some plants from my seeds.
hi,my lupins where planted last year and they are now about 10″ tall and planted in my front garden from april,the laves grow large and healthy but am i expecting the plant to flower this year or do they not flower for the first year?
My lupins have been great this year, but now the pods and leaves have a sticky white covering, i got some on my hands an they felt quite itchy. What could this be, and how do I treat it? Thank you
A mass of greenfly had arrived , which Has been washed over with soapy water. Jacqui
Probably excretions from the greenfly and the sap residue they have left.
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