Lupins: how to grow, plus 16 of the best varieties

By Jason Ingram

Published: Thursday, 12 May 2022 at 12:00 am

George Russell, a jobbing gardener, was in his 50s when he decided to breed lupins that had the vigour and colour that was missing from the ones he knew. In his mind’s eye he saw brightly coloured lupins dancing in his Yorkshire garden. Over the next 20 years, working alone on his allotments, he crossed seedlings, ruthlessly weeding out the inferior ones and recrossing the best, until he had produced a range with flowers of dazzling colours.

Lupins were first brought to Britain in the 1820s by plant explorer David Douglas (his eponymous fir tree was collected at the same time). The plant grows to about 1.2m tall and has flowers that range from blue to pale violet, often with a dark stem. Although the genus consists of about 275 annual, perennial and shrubby species from North and South America, Europe and Africa, Lupinus polyphyllus is one of the very few that has made the leap from the wild into gardens.

IN BRIEF

What Genus of mainly herbaceous perennial plants with some shrubs and annuals. Over 275 species, of which very few are used in horticulture.

Origins Most are from North America with a few from the Mediterranean area. In some regions, notably Australia, introduced plants have become invasive species.

Size From 30cm to 2m.

Conditions In general, lupins prefer well-drained soil in full sun.

Uses A member of the legume family, Fabaceae, lupins are used in agriculture to fix nitrogen into the soil and as an animal feed.

Propagating named cultivars of lupins by cuttings is a slow process. Most plants that are available at nurseries and garden centres are seed-grown and several seed strains have been developed by plant breeders. The Gallery series is a group of low-growing lupins, usually about 50cm tall, that have mainly yellow, orange or red flowers. They will flower during the first year after the seed is sown. The seed is often sold as a mixture but you can occasionally find single-colour seed. Lupinus ‘Gallery Red’ is worth growing for the intense colour of the flowers.

The oddly named Band of Nobles Series seed strain is much taller, with plants growing as high as 1.2m. Again, they are usually sold as mixed seed but several of the series have been named. Lupinus ‘The Governor’ is particularly striking, with flowers that have two white upper petals and three indigo-blue lower ones.

The Tutti Frutti seed range contains a high proportion of plants that have bi-coloured flowers. While these species have not caught on with gardeners, lupin hybrids have been popular since Gertrude Jekyll advocated their use as strong vertical accents among irises and lilies. Jekyll was fond of white-flowered lupins, one of the best of which is Lupinus ‘Polar Princess’, a compact plant with pure clean white flowers, which, at 60cm tall, is shorter than most. I grow it in front of a taller hybrid, Lupinus ‘Masterpiece’, one of the best-named cultivars to have been introduced recently. The flower stems are packed with dark-blue buds that open to purple flowers. As the flower matures an orange speck develops at the base of each petal.

The lupins produced by modern plant breeders can be traced back 100 years to George Russell’s imagination. During that time their popularity has ebbed and flowed, but there will always be a place for them in my garden.

How to grow lupins

Where to grow lupins

Lupins are best in an open, sunny situation in well-drained soil. In rich soil they produce lots of foliage and few flowers, so don’t manure the soil before you plant them. Conventional wisdom has it they won’t grow on chalky soils but, while they are more vigorous in acidic loam, they do grow perfectly well on my chalky soil.

What to do with lupins after flowering

Cut down the flower stems as soon as the flowers are done. Not only are they ugly but the masses of seed the plant produces eventually weakens it and so shortens its life.

Lupin problems

North American lupin aphids arrived in Britain 30 years ago and are now widespread. These are about 4mm long, much larger than most aphids, and left unchecked will rapidly form large colonies that cause the plant to wilt. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, native hoverflies and ladybirds are not drawn to lupin aphids. As soon as you see them (they’ll probably be hiding on the undersides of the leaves) wipe them off or spray with soapy water. If you use chemicals, there are lots around that will deal with the pest.

The aphids help the spread of viruses, and in particular, the cucumber mosaic virus. Despite its name the virus attacks a wide range of plants, including lupins. The first sign is yellow mottling on the leaves, followed by distorted foliage and stunted growth. Dig the plant up and burn it to kill the virus.