Nothing quite compares to the romance of roving carpets of blooming Sundial Lupine. The beauty flourishes with this variety, which boasts particularly vibrant blooms with a pronounced ombré effect, transitioning from light blue to violet-purple, and a more compact growth habit than the straight species. Its showy, pea-shaped flowers appear in spring and early summer followed by distinctive 2-inch-long pods, and the attractive palm-shaped leaves add texture to the landscape throughout the growing season. And there’s more! As a member of the pea family, it harbors symbiotic bacteria that enrich the soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen into forms plants can use.
Conditions: Full sun to part shade; moist to dry, acidic soils
Size: 1’-2.5’ tall; <1’ wide
Zone: 3 - 8
Wildlife Value: Flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies; larval host for several butterfly species, including the Frosted Elfin; seeds eaten by small mammals and birds
Photo: Joshua Mayer