South Mountain Nursery
Est. 2018
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True to its name, this violet-blue gem may be discovered high up in the mountains. Amazingly, you can actually grow this mountain beauty right in your home garden! Drought resistant and long-lived.
The name Lupine comes from the Latin "lupus," meaning wolf. This refers to the folk belief that this plant took nutrients from the soil. Ironically, this plant actually improves the soil because of its nitrogen fixing abilities. As the name suggests, this native wildflower often grows at high altitudes.
Sowing: To soften the hard coating on these Russell Lupine seeds, rub them lightly with sandpaper or soak them in 180 degrees F water overnight before sowing. Sow them in early spring, planting 1/2" deep. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination.
Growing: These seedlings grow very slowly and are rather fragile. Water them occasionally and protect from freezing temperatures. Though mature plants tolerate drought conditions well, provide water occasionally in very dry weather. This plant can be poisonous to livestock if present in excessive amounts. These plants resent having their roots disturbed.
Harvesting: For cut flowers, choose stems with flowers that have just opened. Strip the foliage that will fall below the water level, and place in water immediately.
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