Lupinus albus Seeds | White Lupine
LATIN NAME: Lupinus albus
COMMON NAME: White Lupine
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, White Lupine (Lupinus albus) is an upright, bushy, annual in the bean family. White lupine sends up its tall, white spikes over broad, palmate leaves, and the whole plant stands in the stately rows. It is a plant of open, sunny, deep, well-drained ground. Through the flowering season it keeps visiting bees well supplied. Gardeners value it precisely for this blend of qualities.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Lupinus albus, a representative of the bean family with clear practical value. A long cultivation history means growers know what to expect from it.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, White Lupine has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. White lupine is a fine, historic plant of field and kitchen garden. Give young plants deep, well-drained bed, and spikes will rise in the first season. To grow white lupine from seed, soak large, pale seeds in warm water for a night, then set them a centimetre down in pot of gritty soil. Thereafter it wants only the ordinary attentions any garden plant receives.
Lupins are protein-rich legume crops, lupini beans being a Mediterranean snack after debittering, while the ornamental spires feed bumblebees; alkaloid-rich garden types are not for the table without processing.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of White Lupine under ordinary good conditions. Scatter the seed evenly over a loose seed compost, cover to no more than its own depth, and keep the pot moist and bright. Transplant the sturdiest seedlings to their permanent spots and let them develop without disturbance.
Our Take
The traditional uses covered above are what first made this species worth cultivating. It grows as an upright, bushy, annual, so its place in the garden is easy to plan. Young plants want steady water; older plants take conditions as they come.
Related Reading
Readers interested in White Lupine frequently explore these as well: