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Tue, May 15, 12 at 18:11
| Hi, I'm not sure what common name is used for this plant. It is a native Lupine that is the only host plant for the Karner Blue butterfly. This is NOT the same species as the Lupines that grow wild in Maine, etc. which apparently the butterfly can't use. But I wonder if it likes similar growing conditions.
I have 3 seedlings from seeds I purchased at Prairie Moon nursery and am wondering where to plant these. Anybody grow this plant or live nearby where it grows wild or have any tips? TIA! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| It grows in Concord, NH in the pine barrens which have poor sandy soil. |
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| umm, and none of them like an alkali soil so pine barrens sounds exactly right. Failures for me - one year and they faaaaade away. |
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| nhbabs, Thanks for reminding me that the lupine for the Karner Blue grows in the NH Pine Barrens. Since I have a gravel-sandy soil as part of my property, I really should try to grow this lupine. |
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- Posted by jackied164 z6 MA (My Page) on Sun, May 20, 12 at 9:13
| I grow these from seeds I get from Wildseed Farms. Honestly my current garden has no good place for them so they are pretty short lived. At my last garden they did well where there was excellent drainage and not great soil. That memory and the fact that they are pretty easy to grow from seed keeps me trying. I have about 2 dozen little babies I got from winter sowing and am planting them all around to see if they find a place they like. |
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| Yes it is unusual when the soil is too rich or moist to grow something well! It sounds like their native habitat is lean and sandy. I do have Lupines growing reasonably well in the xeric garden, but there are only 3 little Lupinus perennis seedlings and I don't want them to get lost out there amongst the big perennials. |
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- Posted by linlily z5/6PA (westmay2@verizon.net) on Mon, May 21, 12 at 12:46
| A friend was over the other day and she saw my lupines blooming - volunteers from a planted seedling 5 years ago. She mentioned that hers are from a wildflower seed mix that she planted some time ago. She has very lean, fast draining soil. Her dirt looks like it fine, shale rock in it. And these wild lupines do well for her. Linda |
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