I thought these two perennials only grew at high elevations so was quite familiar with them living in the mountains of northern Arizona/Flagstaff for so many decades. Turns out they both grow well here in the Midwest as well.
Lupinus, known as lupin or lupine is in the legume family with around 200 species in the genus. They are a perennial wildflower quite common in the US and around the world. They are low maintenance so good for beginner gardeners. Their spring or early summer flower spires present in pink, blue, purple, white along with yellow and red. The blue strain is the hardiest and most likely to bloom perennially. They are early bloomers and are a nice addition to cut flower arrangements. Their low gray-green foliage can even serve as a bit of ground cover in your perennial beds. Mine are coming along nicely but being overtaken but some mid-summer bloomers so I might do some transplanting next season.
They like full sun but not sweltering temperatures and do best in well-drained soil on the acidic side. This is probably why they grow well at high elevations where pine needles keep the soil acidic. Lupine have deep tap roots so do ok in poor rocky soil, again quite prevalent in mountainous regions of the country. This is probably also why an attempt to transplant them from the forest to my back yard didn’t work. Some grow tall so benefit from staking, similar to the delphinium I discussed last week. In fact, from a distance, their flowers resemble the delphinium but when observing them up close the lupine flower and its greenery is quite different. Ideally, they require the equivalent of one inch of rain a week. As such, light mulch to keep their roots cool and moist is probably a good idea especially with the hot dry weather we have had this summer. If you inadvertently planted them in a hot spot consider moving them to a cooler location and remember to dead head after blooming to encourage root and foliage growth. Lupine plants store rich nectar that attracts butterflies so planting them along other butterfly favorites like penstemon and alliums is a good idea. They also grow well and present nicely alongside Shasta Daisies and Columbines.
Alternatively, columbine is considered a short lived spring or early summer blooming perennial wild flower that likes organic soil along with lots of sun and moderate water for the best blooms. Their greenery is lacy and ephemeral thus, they look delicate but are quite hearty being both deer resistant and drought tolerant. They have a unique five petal shape and are also known as Our Lady’s Shoes, the Virgin Mary’s Shoes or Granny’s Bonnet as their shape resembles a slipper or a bonnet. Due to their unique shape, once you have identified them you will probably remember what they are the next time you see them. Think bleeding heart plants with a different flower. In fact, I think I will plant one next to my bleeding heart next year. A little trivia, Native Americans used the crushed seeds as love charms and used the crushed roots and seeds to treat headaches, heart problems and sore throats.
There are over 70 species of columbine and they range in color from light pastels to bright reds, oranges, yellow and purples. They too, attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. If you allow them to self-seed you will get many volunteers in subsequent years. If you deadhead after blooming, new buds will develop along the stems which will extend the blooming season. This means my designated planting place, next to the bleeding heart in the middle of our bird feeding area, is probably perfect. Writing these articles is almost like taking another Master Gardener course! Until next week, enjoy the early summer flower blooming season!