Lupinus WEST COUNTRY™ 'MANHATTAN LIGHTS'

Lupines are the inevitable item of English gardens as well as Czech woodlands. They come from North America and naturally grow in sunny locations of moist woodland edges and rocky slopes where their roots establish well in crevices that never lack moisture but are well draining. Deciduous, palmate leaves are deep green and very attractive as they are finely divided.

Sarah Conibear from the Westcountry Nurseries is the breeder of many successful lupines varieties that have achieved a lot of medals including a gold medal from the Chelsea Flower Show Centenary Year. The nursery is located in the north-west of Devon, UK, and is proud to introduce many gorgeous lupines including this one – Manhattan Lights. It has 80-90 cm tall stems with bi-coloured flowers. The upper lip is rich yellow and the bell is deep violet purple. Its blooming season starts as early as late May and continues for incredible 6-8 weeks if spent flowers are removed as soon as they begin to fade. After such a long blooming period the plant is usually weak and unsightly so cutting back will encourage production of new foliage that will be attractive until the end of the growing season. Manhattan Lights is a patented variety, protected by PP18868 from 2008, and may not be reproduced without license.

Lupines like free draining soil that retains moisture and is preferably acidic. They can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and distribute it through their roots. This is why they are often used as pioneer plants in poor soils. Beware of slugs which can devastate both your seedlings as well as old clumps. The flowering spikes are sturdy but fleshy and should be planted where they can be protected from the extreme wind blasts that could bend or break them. Unlike sweet-lupines whose seeds are edible, ornamental lupines (bitter-lupines) can be harmful if eaten. These plants are short-lived and should be dug out in the spring every 3-5 years, woody parts removed, and new plants put pack to encourage fresh growth. Hardy to about -34°C.

Last update 15-09-2014