Lemmon's Lupine

Lupinus lemmonii

Lemmon's Lupine

Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Lupinus
Species:
Lupinus lemmonii

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
2-3 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
may, jul
Bloom Colors:
blue, purple

Native Range

United States: Arizona

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Bee Keystone:
★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Arrowhead Blue (Glaucopsyche piasus), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Melissa Blue (Lycaeides melissa), ⚠️Persius duskywing (Erynnis persius), Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus), Western Blue (Plebejus icarioides)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
prefers open, sunny locations

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Scarify, then cold-moist stratify for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o