Native Perennial
Wild Blue Lupine (Lupinus perennis) has showy, elongated clusters of purple, pea-like flowers atop 1-2 ft. stems. Blue, pea-like flowers are in an upright, elongated, terminal cluster on an erect stem with palmately compound leaves. Its leaves are palmately divided into 7-11 leaflets. Occasionally, flowers range from pink to white.
The plant was once thought to deplete or "wolf" the mineral content of the soil; hence the genus name derived from the Latin lupus ("wolf"). The plant and its family enhance soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form.
Sun Exposure: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry, moist
Soil type: Dry, sandy soil, good drainage
Height: 1'-3'
Bloom Time: April-July
Bloom Color: blue, purple
Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Bees; Deer browse foliage. Birds and small mammals eat the seeds.
Pollinator Benefit: Larval Host for the Karner Blue and Frosted Elfin butterflies; valuable to native bees and bumblebees. The Karner Blue butterfly is endangered.
***Can only be shipped to the following states they are native to: AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
SEEDS NEED TO BE GERMINATED:
•Germination: 60 days of cold, moist stratification. Visit rochesterpollinators.org/pages/winter for more information.
❄️ Winter sowing—How to make mini-greenhouses out of milk jugs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKPuPtsy3UI&t=9s St
🌱 Cold Seed Stratification—How to stratify seeds by mimicking the overwintering process that native plants need to sprout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7xNkZfMMmk&t=2s
🌱YOU CAN PROPAGATE YOUR SEEDS:
•This can be achieved by planting seeds outdoors in the fall.
SEEDS:
•Non-GMO/Organic
• Receive approximately 150 seeds!
• Distribution: Central and northeastern North America and southeastern Canada.