Wild Lupine - PollinateHV Local Ecotype

Wild Lupine is a true ecological icon, instantly recognizable by its dense spires of deep blue and purple flowers that grace the landscape in late spring and early summer. Its beautiful, palm-shaped foliage provides a lovely textural contrast to its elegant blooms. This native perennial is famous as the exclusive host plant for the endangered Karner Blue butterfly, and it also supports the Frosted Elfin and Eastern Persius Duskywing. By growing it, you are providing a critical and necessary resource for these rare species.

As a true prairie beauty, Wild Lupine has specific—and strict—soil needs: it requires a significant amount of sand and absolutely will not tolerate heavy clay. Fortunately, its value extends beyond habitat; as a legume, it is a distinctive and showy nitrogen fixer, naturally enriching the soil around it. Once the magnificent blooms fade, the mature seedpods eventually explode, scattering seeds that provide a welcome, late-season feast for songbirds.