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adamkr

Lupines

AdamKR
10 years ago

I had to share this with you guys/gals because my Lupines turned out absolutely fantastic this year. This is their 2nd year as I started these by seed very early in 2012... This is by far one of my favorites!! Enjoy.

Comments (14)

  • trovesoftrilliums
    10 years ago

    Gorgeous colors and they look so healthy too. What a wonderful results from a few small seeds. Thanks for posting.

  • karin_mt
    10 years ago

    Yeah, I love those! Fantastic photo too, thank you for sharing it.
    Are those just blooming now for you? Mine are done but some are heading toward re-bloom.

  • a2zmom_Z6_NJ
    10 years ago

    Beautiful! I never tried them since I heard they don't do well in my area.

  • AdamKR
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Karin this picture was taken back on June 8th so they are pretty much all done now. The foliage remains nice and green though!

  • david883
    10 years ago

    Those look AMAZING! I direct sowed a few russell hybrid seeds (I think the chatelaine - a little bit more of a pinker purple)and they're doing well but still very small. If mine look even half as good as this next year I will be EXTREMELY pleased! Especially now hearing that they may rebloom later in the season :) Thanks for sharing

  • AdamKR
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    David, Good luck with your lupines... These just exploded this year. I will say if there is one negative to this wonderful plant is that they give one big massive bloom in early summer and then you get maybe a second very small (a couple stems) bloom a few weeks later. I have found by deadheading the spent stems after blooming that gives you a much better shot at a possible second blooming period.

  • karin_mt
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the background info Adam. I think that is around when mine bloomed too. I don't deadhead too religiously with these because they have seeded around in just the right places. In fact, I think all the lupine we currently have are ones that have planted themselves. We have a native lupine that has also seeded itself into the gardens and it always gets to stay wherever it lands.

    Thanks again for the wonderful photo!

  • AdamKR
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Karin, That is the thing I struggle with sometimes, do I deadhead and have them not re-seed or try and get more blooms throughout the rest of the year... I went with deadheading... hopefully I won't regret it next year.

  • karin_mt
    10 years ago

    I hear you! It is a battle between tidiness and the surprise of new plants in unexpected places. In general I am wary of re-seeders after doing full battle with some incredibly annoying plants. But some, like lupine, get a pass. It's different for everyone's garden. I tend to deadhead plants in prominent places because I don't want to be greeted with aging seed pods every time I enter the garden. But there always seem to be a few that escape my Felcos and produce some offspring.

    As a result, for a few years I had a delightful partnership of a pink/white lupine with a pink/cream columbine. It was way prettier than anything I would have come up with! Of course the downside is that these plants were growing on the path right where the hose dragged by, so I was constantly struggling to protect them. But that's the price for spontaneity, right?

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    10 years ago

    Exceptionally pretty colors!

  • linlily
    10 years ago

    I put in a dwarf Gallery Red last year and like yours, Adam, my plant exploded with flowers in late May into June. I did not dead head because I wanted to keep the seeds and I even hope for a few seed pods to open on their own so that I can have a few surprises for next year. I'm always delighted to see any volunteer lupines from year to year.

    Linda

  • diggerdee zone 6 CT
    10 years ago

    Beautiful! Gorgeous colors! I grew some from seed back in the winter of 2008-09, labeled "blue perennial" and they are still going strong, and reseeding nicely. I love the blue, but I'm loving the colors you have Adam, as well.

    I also enjoy the foliage on these plants. This is one of the few plants where I am just as happy with the foliage as I am the blooms!

    Dee

  • steve22802
    9 years ago

    Adam, what was the cultivar name of these Lupine seeds? Is it a mix of blues and purples?

  • cenepk10
    9 years ago

    I planted lupine seeds last spring. They popped up as seedlings - then petered out. They are back this year and about 4" tall. I want your results !!!!!