Fabaceae
Butter lupine
Lupinus luteolus
Also known as Lupinus luteolus var. albiflorus, Lupinus milo-bakeri, Sulphur lupine, Lupinus luteus
Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Lupine · Native Wildflower · California Native · Nitrogen Fixer · Fabaceae · Pollinator Plant · Yellow Flowers · Cottage Garden · Western Us
Butter lupine is a native California and Oregon perennial that prefers well-drained, sandy or loamy soils in full sun to partial shade. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen and improves soil health, making it a great companion plant for garden beds. Water regularly during establishment but reduce frequency once mature, as it dislikes waterlogged roots.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 5 hours
- Watering
- Water moderately, allowing the top inch of soil to dry between waterings · Every 7-10 days
- Maintenance
- Moderate
- Soil
- sandy loam
- Soil pH
- 6.4–8
- Temperature
- -25°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Division, Cutting
Hardiness
USDA 4b-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 4 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Spacing
- 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Root depth
- Deep
- Flowers
- Yellow
- Foliage
- Grey · Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- California, Oregon
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Sources: trefle, usda
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