European blue lupine

European blue lupine Care

Lupinus angustifolius

What is the plant

Lupinus angustifolius is a species of lupin known by many common names, including narrowleaf lupin, narrow-leaved lupin and blue lupin. It is native to Eurasia and northern Africa and naturalized in parts of Australia and North America

The narrow-leaved lupin is an erect, branching herb sometimes exceeding one meter. There are reduced-branching cultivars. Each palmate leaf is divided into 5 to 9 linear leaflets under 4 centimeters long. The herbage is slightly hairy in some areas. The inflorescence bears many flowers in shades of blue, violet, pink, or white. The fruit is a legume pod containing seeds of varying colors from dark gray to brown to white, or speckled or mottled. It has been cultivated for over 6000 years as a food crop for its edible legume seeds, as a fodder for livestock and for green manure. It's invasive in Northern Europe and in New-Zealand.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

min -6°C

Hardiness zone

7 - 9

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Although lupines demand good drainage, they also like regular irrigation, so provide the equivalent of one inch of rain each week if conditions are dry. Lightly mulch lupines in hot climates to keep the soil cool and moist.
Fertilizer
Lupines do not require fertilizer, and in fact, too much fertilizer can encourage excess foliage growth at the expense of blooms.
Sunlight
Full sun is preferred. Lupine can grow in part shade, but flowering will be lessened. If you plant lupines in deep shade, they will not flower.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
Lupines need neutral to slightly acidic soil, although they can grow in very acidic soil conditions. Lupines do not need rich loam, but it is important to grow the plants in very well-draining soil to avoid root rot. Sandy soil conditions and poor rocky soil promote the growth of the lupine’s deep taproot.
Temperature
These plants can be grown in the areas with the lowest winter temperatures of −17.8°C (0°F) where summer temperatures are not too high. These lupins are annual.
Popularity
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