{"product_id":"desert-lupine","title":"Prairie Lupine \/ Desert Lupine","description":"\u003ch1\u003ePrairie Lupine \/ Desert Lupine\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLupinus lepidus\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFabaceae\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli role=\"presentation\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpokane Native\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli role=\"presentation\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSun\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli role=\"presentation\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1' tall x 2'+ wide (mat forming)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli role=\"presentation\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrought Tolerant: Extremely\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli role=\"presentation\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFlower Color: Dark blue to blue-purple (April - June)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli role=\"presentation\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eWildlife value: \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eNative bees \u0026amp; bumblebees; butterfly larval host; nitrogen fixer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003ePrairie lupine is a small, hardy perennial in the pea family (Fabaceae) and a verified native of eastern Washington. The form found in our region is chiefly var. aridus, which occurs east of the crest in sagebrush desert to juniper woodland. It grows on sandy or gravelly, well-drained soils, from lowland prairies and sagebrush flats to alpine ridges, and is thoroughly drought adapted. Give it full sun and lean, sharply drained soil. As a member of the pea family, it fixes nitrogen, improving the soil around it. Like most lupines it grows from a taproot, so it resents transplanting and is best established young or direct-sown from scarified seed,  It is a short-lived perennial that reseeds to maintain itself. It is famous as one of the pioneering colonizers of the devastated slopes of Mount St. Helens.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003ePrairie lupine is variable in form, ranging from low, matted cushions to more erect plants, generally 4 to 14 inches tall. The palmately compound leaves, mostly clustered near the base, have five to seven narrow, silky-hairy leaflets that give the plant a soft, silvery-green texture. In late spring to early summer it produces short, dense spikes of small pea flowers in dark blue to blue-purple, occasionally white, each with a lighter, reflexed banner. The neat mound of silvery foliage and tidy flower spikes make it a charming small-scale plant for the front of dry plantings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eAs a nitrogen-fixing legume, prairie lupine enriches the soil and supports the broader plant community. Its flowers are visited by native bees and bumblebees, and lupines in general are important larval hosts for blue and other butterflies, making this a valuable component of a pollinator and habitat planting. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003ePrairie lupine is well suited to the front of sagebrush-steppe and rock-garden plantings, dry meadows, and sunny, sharply drained slopes, where its silvery foliage and blue spikes can be clearly seen. Combine it with bunchgrasses such as Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), and Sandberg bluegrass, alongside arrowleaf balsamroot, biscuitroot, penstemons, blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata), and buckwheats. Site it permanently in lean soil and let it reseed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: Seeds are toxic to humans and livestock if consumed in large quantities. Beautiful and beneficial in appropriate wildlife garden settings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0774\/5440\/9961\/files\/Screenshot_2025-11-12_035202.png?v=1762948349\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tanager, LLC","offers":[{"title":"Banded pot","offer_id":51935390990569,"sku":null,"price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0774\/5440\/9961\/files\/Screenshot2026-09-24133552.png?v=1790282923","url":"https:\/\/www.tanagergreenhouse.com\/products\/desert-lupine","provider":"Tanager, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}