Cutting back to the ground after flowering will often produce a second crop of blossoms. Lupines, also frequently called lupins, are very attractive, easy to grow flowering plants. How to deadhead lupins. If none do after a couple of weeks, then cut the stem to the ground. They are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, will tolerate cool and moist conditions, and produce stunning spikes of flowers in a wide range of colors. Remove the dead flowers to prevent seed formation and to conserve the plant's strength. To encourage blooms, fertilize lupines with a plant food that is high in phosphorus. that's great, thanks spritzhenry! Check the seeds when the pods yellow and turn brown. Lupine pods look like small pea pods and produce a row of tiny white seeds that turn dark brown or black when mature. These lupines are happily growing in hard-packed gravel. Lupines do not adapt to alkaline soil. Lydia . The orchid care as a new or young saplings or after flowering is more or less the same. Pealike blooms packed onto military-erect stems rising 1 to 2 feet above of large, deeply lobed green leaves can only belong to lupins or lupines (Lupinus spp. Lupines benefit from deadheading, or removing spent blooms after flowering. Deadhead spent blooms for returning lupine flowers.. 15 Jul, 2010 . Lupines come in both annual and perennial varieties. Nitrogen rich fertilizer may encourage growth of the foliage and do little to promote flowering. These are similar to the cultivated varieties of lupin but are held in looser panicles. If seeds are hard and dark, it is time to harvest the pods. More mature plants do not transfer easily. The flowering seasons differ with different varieties; thus, the periods can be classified into sporadic and basic ones. However it is important to deadhead to avoid your lupin plant producing lots of seeds. Getting More Lupine Flowers. Spritzhenry . 15 Jul, 2010 . In their native habitats, lupines cover hillsides with vibrant displays. Propagating perennial lupine: By seed or division in early spring. This prevents unwanted volunteers from taking over the garden, and may encourage some additional reblooming. 3) Lupines need good drainage. Lupinus polyphyllus is the most popular of these stately plants. Try planting them on a high site so water drains away and doesn’t sit around their roots, or … By preventing Lupines from developing seed heads, you also allow the plant to redirect energy into root and foliage growth, which results in increased plant vigor. You're welcome. Lupines do not like hot weather and do best in the Northeast and Canada. Lupines like acidic soil and lots of drainage, so heavy clay soil just won’t do. Harvest the seedpods on a cool, dry day after the dew has dried on the plants. After the Flowers Fall Off. The tree lupin, Lupinus arboreus, is a beautiful evergreen shrub, bearing silky shoots and grey-green leaves.From late spring to summer, fragrant yellow, sometimes blue or white, flowers appear. Extend columbine's bloom period by pinching spent flowers back to just above a bud. Prune Columbine. They do not perform well as ornamentals in home-garden settings, however. Spring-blooming lupines display showy spikes of densely packed blossoms on stiff stems along with green foliage covered in fine gray hair. In case of reblooming, taking care of orchids during the dormancy period is of utmost importance. Open the pod with your fingers. The only real drawback is … Cut the stems back to below the pods....you might get a few more flowers appearing. Keep the vigour in the parent plant and deadhead as the flowers … Lupins do not take too kindly to being chopped back hard after flowering - they take months to recover. Remove the faded flower stem if you do not want the plant to self-seed. They can grow up to 5 feet high and, as far as I am concerned, should be a permanent fixture in all gardens.