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”
Hello,
I have some beautiful Lupins that I planted last year in one of my beds, but they are in the wrong place as the colour is too similar to the Fuschia next to it. Can they be transplanted? If so when is the best time? I assume they should be cut back first, would they need to be kept moist after transplanting, until there is new growth? Thanks. Nick
Lupins can be moved between autumn and spring but make sure you get the whole of the fleshy root. I would wait for early growth and take some cuttings. When they are rooted and established you can discard the badly place plant.
Why do you have to soak your seeds for 12 hours?
The seed coating is very hard. If water can’t get in germination can’t start. You could ‘chip’ the seed with a sharp knife or rub it with sandpaper. Some seeds will still germinate but the timing may be a bit erratic
Dear Sir,
Ido not seem to be very successful with growing lupins.
I am aware that they prefer free-draining soil, but what position should they be planted in, i.e. full sun, shade, semi-shade?
Hopefully you can help, B. Shepherd
Hi, are lupins perennial? do they self seed?
Lupins are perennial do you remember seeing them alongside Railway tracks.
They seed prolifically but I collect the seed and sow them myself rather than relying on mother nature to disperse them.
Hi – My lupins are great this year – some are getting quite old and have grown very large – can you split them down into 2 or 3 plants in the autumn when they have finished flowering?
What sort of soil do Lupin grow in best? Mine are growing incredibly slow as I transplanted them from another location. Here it is mid June and they’re fragile and only 6 inches tall.
I grow them in an open soil that has has humus added when planting – that way they get food air and this summer plenty of water
my lupins – the spikey bits on the stems have gone black, they look like black pods now!
can anyone tell me what has happnened or why or what i should do? will they flower again?
thanks bernie.
I LIVE IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS IN THE EAST,NEAR EDINBURGH.
DO I CUT BACK MY LUPINS ? OR DO I LEAVE THEM TO LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES?
THANKS AND REGARDS
DAVE
I would tidy up and cut them back. Some mulch would help but if you want a natural feel leave them tpo there own devices. Remember how they looked on railway embankments
thanks just picked up some useful tips
I have just bought some young dwarf lupin plants from a well known English supplier,
I planted in a large patio pot, two weeks ago, watered in well, with fertilizer,in a warm location facing south, how long before some signs of life, look pretty poorly at present.
Two weeks is not long enough but the roots should be settled in by now and growth will start soon. My lupins left from last year are 18″ high and putting on a lot of leaf.
If you have followed the suppliers advice and they do not perform then claim replacements or your money back.
Do slugs and/or snails eat lupins ?
I would love to put some in my cottage garden, however everything planted so far has been devoured by these creatures, so I am stuck with all the stuff that was in garden when house purchased.
I do not want to use chemicals to kill them, but will try natural methods…currently I gather all snails up and put in plastic tub with lid,Then I walk about a mile and dump them in wasteland/countryside.
Please advise if lupins will be preferred choice for these ever-hungry pests
Snails may be worse than slugs. Try surrounding the Lupins with ash or gravel and remove the damp, dark areas where snails can congregate.
I have two plants which were brought and planted last year. In the early spring they started growing back as normal but each leaf stalk gets to about 10cm long with a leaf about 4cm diameter and then withers and dies. The plant is still continueing to produce new leaves but non have got beyond this stage. I cannot see any obvious signs of pests on the plant and have also have a bit of a look at the roots but can’t see any obvious problems. I would really appreciate your help to diagnose what is wrong and how to treat it.
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