WorldFloraDB - Lupinus perennis

Characteristics

Perennial; stems ± erect, 2–6 dm, thinly pubescent; petioles 2–6 cm; lfls 7–11, oblanceolate, 2–5(–6) cm; racemes erect, arising above the lvs, 1–2(–3) dm, the fls numerous, blue varying to pink or white; lower lip of the cal entire, 6–8 mm, the upper lip half as long; standard 12–16 mm, half as wide; pod pubescent, 3–5 cm; 2n=48, 96. Dry, open woods and clearings; s. Me. to Fla., w. to Minn. and Ind. May, June. Two w. Amer. spp. are casually escaped from cult. in n. New Engl. and adj. Can. L. polyphyllus Lindl. differs in being taller and coarser, to 1 m or more, with 11–17 lfls to 13 cm, and infls 2–4 dm. L. nootkatensis Donn has villous herbage and large fls 1.5–2 cm in racemes 1–3 dm.

More

A small plant. It grows 30-60 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. It keeps growing from year to year. The roots are woody and slender and spread sideways. The leaves are compound and divided into small leaflets. The flowers are blue-purple. The fruit are hairy seed pods. These propel the seeds about 1 m away. The mature seeds are poisonous.

Life form	perennial
Growth form	herb
Growth support	-
Foliage retention	deciduous
Sexuality	hermaphrodite
Pollination	entomogamy
Spread	-
Mature width (meter)	0.4 - 0.65
Mature height (meter)	0.6
Root system	-
Rooting depth (meter)	0.3
Root diameter (meter)	0.3
Flower color
Blooming months	-
Fruit color	-
Fruiting months	-
Nitrogen fixer
Photosynthetic pathway	c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. It grows in sandy and dry acid soils. It grows in open woodlands. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.

More

Grassy places in dry sandy soils. Dry, open woods and clearings, Pine Barrens and sandy prairies.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

CAUTION: The mature seeds are poisonous. They need special preparation. The seeds are eaten after roasting or boiling.

Uses	environmental use forage medicinal poison
Edible	pods seeds
Therapeutic use	Antiemetic (unspecified), Antihemorrhagic (unspecified), Veterinary Aid (unspecified), Witchcraft Medicine (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Mode	cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days)	50 - 72
Germination temperacture (C°)	16 - 19
Germination luminosity	dark
Germination treatment	soaking
Minimum temperature (C°)	-25
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-