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Herbaceous Perennial

Lupinus perennis

wild lupine

A clump-forming perennial, 60-80cm high, with palmate leaves of up to 11 leaflets. Whorls of pea-like flowers, usually violet-blue but rarely pink or white, are borne on densely hairy, upright stems from late spring to early summer, followed by hairy green pods of seeds

Other common names

perennial lupine
Quaker bonnets
see moresundial
sundial lupin
wild lupine

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. TOXIC to pets if eaten (dogs, cats, rabbits, tortoises) - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Lupinus can be annuals, perennials or shrubs, with palmate leaves and showy terminal racemes of pea-like flowers
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, ideally slightly acidic, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. Water well in summer dry spells.

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Prairie planting
Wildflower meadow
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead to encourage more flowers, unless seeds are required

Pests

May be susceptible to lupin aphid, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, lupin anthracnose and virus diseases

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