Leaf
Mathieu Menand, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Garden lupin
Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl.
Also known as: Large-leaved lupin, Bigleaf lupine
Family: Fabaceae
80 cm to 1.2 m tall
Beds, borders, gardens, moist acidic soils
Flowering: May – July
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Like all legumes, its roots naturally enrich the soil with nitrogen.
🍃 Leaves
Large, palmate, digitate and fanned out, bright green
🌸 Flowers
Long upright spikes of blue, pink or white pea-type flowers
🍎 Fruits
Hairy pods containing several seeds
🪵 Bark
Upright herbaceous clump, deep taproot
🗺️ Distribution
Native to western North America; widely naturalised and grown in gardens and on banks in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large colourful spikes very rich in nectar, very attractive to bumblebees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Perennial beds, back of borders, cottage-style gardens; many horticultural colours available.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Seeds toxic (quinolizidine alkaloids), in particular to livestock if eaten in quantity.
🌿 Other Fabaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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