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Summary
Bloom Color: Blue, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late spring. Form: Upright or erect.
Physical Characteristics
Lupinus polyphyllus is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Habitats
Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses
Root - raw or cooked[257].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
A decoction of the plant has been used as a tonic[257].
References More on Medicinal Uses
Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.
An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.
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Other Uses
Landscape Uses: Border, Container, Ground cover, Massing, Specimen, Woodland garden. Special Features: Attracts birds, Attractive foliage, North American native, Naturalizing. Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers. Nitrogen fixer.
Special Uses
Carbon Farming Dynamic accumulator Nitrogen Fixer
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen Management: Standard New Crop Staple Crop: Protein
An easily grown plant, succeeding in any moderately good soil in a sunny position[1, 200]. It strongly dislikes excessive winter wet[1]. Requires an acid to neutral soil[200]. Succeeds in poor soils[60]. Plants can be naturalized in the wild garden, especially on stream banks and for flowering above rough grass, where they may be short-lived but will self-seed[200]. Plants dislike root disturbance. There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[200]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].
Carbon Farming
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Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen
Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
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Management: Standard
Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
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New Crop
Most new crops were important wild plants until recently, although some are the result of hybridization. They have been developed in the last few, decades. What they have in common is that they are currently cultivated by farmers. Examples include baobab, argan, and buffalo gourd.
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Staple Crop: Protein
(16+ percent protein, 0-15 percent oil). Annuals include beans, chickpeas, lentils, cowpeas, and pigeon peas. Perennials include perennial beans, nuts, leaf protein concentrates, and edible milks.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
The PFAF Bookshop
Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.
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Propagation
Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in early spring in a greenhouse[1, 200]. Germination should take place within a couple of weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. It should also be possible to sow the seed in situ in mid spring. It might be necessary to protect the sowing from mice. Division in March. Difficult. Basal cuttings, April in a cold frame. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
Lindl.
Botanical References
17200
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
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