Oregon Lupine
Lupinus oreganus
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Bureau of Land Management (www.flickr.com) – Photo credits: Christine Williams, Mackenzie Cowan, Sandra Miles, Sally Villegas, and West Eugene Wetlands staff.
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Lupinus
- Species:
- Lupinus oreganus
- USDA Symbol:
- LUOR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, purple, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Western Blue (Plebejus icarioides)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; fire may stimulate germination of hard-coated seeds.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny habitats
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 14–30 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat recommended before cold stratification. Germination can be erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: 8 weeks cool/moist stratification
Establishment: This plant is native to Oregon, Washington, and Western Canada. No specific germination protocol, temperature, germination rate or time range was provided in the source material.
Source: npn.rngr.net