Lupine are a keystone species in some part of the country, and they're one of the most beautiful flowers out there. They're also incredibly easy to grow from seed, which means if you can't find the right species in the store, you can find nearby wild populations and collect just a few seeds (ethical guideline is to make sure you're not taking more than 1/10th of the seeds you fine- and with lupine, just a few seeds is enough) and grow those in your garden, and then get subsequent generations of lupine from the seeds from your own plants. This also helps preserve local genetic diversity. I'm on my third generation of yellow bush lupine in my yard.
A big reason for the reduction of that butterfly is in fact the non native Lupines. They are pushing out the native version and are confusing the butterfly because they can’t tell the difference between the native and non native so they lay their eggs on non natives and the caterpillars can’t eat the leaves and die
Love Lupine - I see it here in New England along the highway when driving in the Green Mountains of Vermont and White Mountains of New Hampshire. And thank you for all your content on native plants - I always learn something from your videos!
I have a dream--- an hour west of Toronto--- Kerners were extirpated from Ontario. Can confirm, super easy to grow from seeds, germinate easy in baggy and paper towel. Put them in back of the border--- look deathly when done flowering and less than zero winter interest, but maybe the large hollow stems are habitat. Kerners come back! Waiting!!
Thanks for this post. I started mine feom seed last year, it's still so tiny. I'm in NY, long island. Didn't flower last year, still real small no blooms.
Thanks for the comment. It takes a couple of years for them to get going. I find it helpful to sow seeds every year to have successive phases of growth and flowering
Thank you for the informative video. Last fall I planted a few native Luplines in a new garden area. Thankfully they came back this spring, but they are small, and it doesn't seem as though they will bloom this year. Do you think that they will grow to full size and bloom next spring? I am in the Chicago area.
I think you just helped me identify a plant that caught my eye growing along a local highway. I might go try to dig up one or two and bring back to my native plant garden if that's the case when I go get a better look now that I have your video as an excellent reference. PennDot mows down that area every few months so would like to save a few if I can.
Quick question: What type of soil do you have? I’m in Southern Ontario with moderately heavy clay soil. I’ve read/heard so much about native lupines needing sandy soil to thrive. I’d love to plant native lupines in my yard, but I am worried they won’t take. Keep up the great work - I love your channel.
Hi. Thanks for the comment. They typically won't do well in clay soil. Although I do have a lot of clay in my yard, this particular section is more sandy and not as heavy so they do well here.
Hello, I'm a new subscriber to your channel. I live in Central MD., and I do care about the Karner blue butterfly (and native lupines too), but I bought a pack of seeds for the Russell hybrid Lupine, not knowing that it is not perfectly conscientious to grow them. If I grow the hybrid Lupines in Central MD., would that affect the Karner blue butterflies in a negative way, and also, would they affect my Baptisia plants, and the native lupine population, in a negative way? I'm thinking that I should just return those seeds. I understand if you don't have enough time to talk about it. I hope that you have a good day.
Thanks for the comment. If you're looking to grow lupines as a host plant, I would definitely recommend planting the straight species. Karners won't use the Russell hybrids.
Hi. no usually it will bloom the second year. for that reason I sow the seeds that I collect every year and spread them around. Also sometimes they will fade away that's another reason i sow seeds to keep them coming back
Hi. Thanks for the comment. Try "Prairie moon nursery". They specialize in native plants. I've purchased from them before and they have good quality. I'm not affiliated with them in any way just a satisfied customer.
Great video and I agree wholeheartedly with the message. Though I hate to say it but I think you got some hybrids, man. At least some of those don’t look like straight species. Growers and sellers often falsely label lupinus polyphyllus seeds/plants as lupinus perennis, or they’ll sell a hybrid of the two species and label it as lupinus perennis. Lupinus polyphyllus is a western U.S. lupine species that is actually invasive in the eastern U.S. where lupinus perennis is native, and is actually very harmful to the karner blue butterfly which normally relies on lupinus perennis. What color were the seeds you used? A good rule of thumb is that true lupinus Perennis seeds should be pure white, whereas lupinus polyphyllus and hybrid seeds are gray, brown or black. A good source for true lupinus perennis seeds is prairie moon nursery.
Kept thinking how similar that lupine looks to the wild indigo I've got, and sure enough both Lupinus and Baptisia are family Fabaceae. Also, you're right about lupine as a host for other butterflies: wildflower.org says Frosted Elfin uses it as well. It also says deer like to browse it - have you had any trouble with that? Thanks as always for the informative video!
Lupine are a keystone species in some part of the country, and they're one of the most beautiful flowers out there.
They're also incredibly easy to grow from seed, which means if you can't find the right species in the store, you can find nearby wild populations and collect just a few seeds (ethical guideline is to make sure you're not taking more than 1/10th of the seeds you fine- and with lupine, just a few seeds is enough) and grow those in your garden, and then get subsequent generations of lupine from the seeds from your own plants. This also helps preserve local genetic diversity.
I'm on my third generation of yellow bush lupine in my yard.
It's always cool to find out about host plants and ways to hopefully restore declining species. Nice video
Thanks. I really appreciate it.
A big reason for the reduction of that butterfly is in fact the non native Lupines. They are pushing out the native version and are confusing the butterfly because they can’t tell the difference between the native and non native so they lay their eggs on non natives and the caterpillars can’t eat the leaves and die
Thanks for the comment. That and habitat loss make it especially important to plant the native variety. 🙂
Love Lupine - I see it here in New England along the highway when driving in the Green Mountains of Vermont and White Mountains of New Hampshire. And thank you for all your content on native plants - I always learn something from your videos!
Hi, Thanks for the comment. I'm glad to hear they are growing out that way.
I have a dream--- an hour west of Toronto--- Kerners were extirpated from Ontario. Can confirm, super easy to grow from seeds, germinate easy in baggy and paper towel. Put them in back of the border--- look deathly when done flowering and less than zero winter interest, but maybe the large hollow stems are habitat. Kerners come back! Waiting!!
We share the same dream! Thanks for the comment 😊
Great video with lots of info. I just planted 3 new lupine this year. I’m so excited! Hopefully your video will help me to be able to that.
Thanks for the comment. Good luck 🤞
Thanks for this post. I started mine feom seed last year, it's still so tiny. I'm in NY, long island. Didn't flower last year, still real small no blooms.
Thanks for the comment. It takes a couple of years for them to get going. I find it helpful to sow seeds every year to have successive phases of growth and flowering
Thanks for making this informative video and it reminds me to get this in the ground.
Those are beautiful!
Thanks for the comment 🙂
Thank you for the informative video. Last fall I planted a few native Luplines in a new garden area. Thankfully they came back this spring, but they are small, and it doesn't seem as though they will bloom this year. Do you think that they will grow to full size and bloom next spring? I am in the Chicago area.
Hi. Thanks for the comment. They should bloom next year if they like where they are located. It's great that you're planting there. Good luck 🤞
I think you just helped me identify a plant that caught my eye growing along a local highway. I might go try to dig up one or two and bring back to my native plant garden if that's the case when I go get a better look now that I have your video as an excellent reference. PennDot mows down that area every few months so would like to save a few if I can.
Quick question: What type of soil do you have? I’m in Southern Ontario with moderately heavy clay soil. I’ve read/heard so much about native lupines needing sandy soil to thrive. I’d love to plant native lupines in my yard, but I am worried they won’t take. Keep up the great work - I love your channel.
Hi. Thanks for the comment. They typically won't do well in clay soil. Although I do have a lot of clay in my yard, this particular section is more sandy and not as heavy so they do well here.
Hello, I'm a new subscriber to your channel. I live in Central MD., and I do care about the Karner blue butterfly (and native lupines too), but I bought a pack of seeds for the Russell hybrid Lupine, not knowing that it is not perfectly conscientious to grow them. If I grow the hybrid Lupines in Central MD., would that affect the Karner blue butterflies in a negative way, and also, would they affect my Baptisia plants, and the native lupine population, in a negative way? I'm thinking that I should just return those seeds. I understand if you don't have enough time to talk about it. I hope that you have a good day.
Thanks for the comment. If you're looking to grow lupines as a host plant, I would definitely recommend planting the straight species. Karners won't use the Russell hybrids.
Also they shouldn't affect your Baptisia
@@Jem544 Thank you.
Lupine is an amazing flower, but just for reference, it's pronounced "Lou-pin"
Yea. I always screw the name...lol
Does this bloom the first year?
Hi. no usually it will bloom the second year. for that reason I sow the seeds that I collect every year and spread them around. Also sometimes they will fade away that's another reason i sow seeds to keep them coming back
Where do you purchase the native lupine seeds?
Hi. Thanks for the comment. Try "Prairie moon nursery". They specialize in native plants. I've purchased from them before and they have good quality. I'm not affiliated with them in any way just a satisfied customer.
Nonsense, these things are everywhere, invasive as hell.
Not so I'm afraid but thanks for the comment.
I have confirmed, they are all over my woods you are misinformed@@Jem544
Great video and I agree wholeheartedly with the message. Though I hate to say it but I think you got some hybrids, man. At least some of those don’t look like straight species. Growers and sellers often falsely label lupinus polyphyllus seeds/plants as lupinus perennis, or they’ll sell a hybrid of the two species and label it as lupinus perennis. Lupinus polyphyllus is a western U.S. lupine species that is actually invasive in the eastern U.S. where lupinus perennis is native, and is actually very harmful to the karner blue butterfly which normally relies on lupinus perennis.
What color were the seeds you used? A good rule of thumb is that true lupinus Perennis seeds should be pure white, whereas lupinus polyphyllus and hybrid seeds are gray, brown or black. A good source for true lupinus perennis seeds is prairie moon nursery.
Thanks for the comment. These are not hybrids but thanks for the information.
Agreed, these are a hybrid, or lupinus polyphyllus
Kept thinking how similar that lupine looks to the wild indigo I've got, and sure enough both Lupinus and Baptisia are family Fabaceae. Also, you're right about lupine as a host for other butterflies: wildflower.org says Frosted Elfin uses it as well. It also says deer like to browse it - have you had any trouble with that? Thanks as always for the informative video!
Hi. Thanks for the comment. I haven't had any deer issues so far. I love Baptisia also and just planted a yellow one.