If you are currently enjoying some gorgeous lupin blooms in your garden then you will have one prominent question on your mind, how long do lupins flower for? Then as soon as you ask this another question will come straight to mind, can I make them flower for longer? Let me help you out with both of these questions below.
How long do Lupins flower for?
I’m sad to say that Lupins are short flowering plants. The flowering spikes are fantastic but they don’t like to hang around.
Lupins normally only flower for 2-3 short weeks before quickly turning to seed. There are however a few steps to can take to prolong the bloom.
Cutting the seed pods
This is a tactic I have recently started employing with my own lupins. As the flowers die they will inevitably turn to seed pods, as far as the best display is concerned this is far from ideal. So you can begin to cut these pods off as soon as they appear.
They will start at the bottom of the spike and work their way upward. If you begin to remove the individual pods as soon as they appear the pant will put more of its energy into new flowers rather than developing seeds.
Deadheading the spikes
Once your spike is completely done you should deadhead it. This way you will often find you get a second bloom from your lupins. While often not as spectacular as your first bloom it is still well worth the effort. The second bloom of lupin is often smaller than the first but still beautiful in its own right.
Planting in full sun
Lupins love being in full sun, and the more sunlight they have the more flowers they will produce. Lots of sunlight can also encourage the second bloom to be bigger and better.
Did you know lupins can also self-seed? If you want to learn more about this I have an article dedicated to the question can lupins self seed?
Lupins
Lupins are a beautiful flower that you will find in many British gardens. Lupins are a staple of British cottage gardens, famed for both their height and colour. Originally hailing from the Mediterranean they are a perennial that will greet you with a gorgeous summer display year after year.
They produce a large flowering spike that is full of colour and each plant can have lots of these spikes leading to a fabulous display. They will begin to flower around may and can last well into June. The flowers do go to seed quite quickly but your lupin will continue to produce more and more new spikes.
To get the best out of these spikes though it is essential to deadhead the old spikes to give the new ones a chance to flourish. Also cutting your lupins back in autumn can help them the following spring.
Mary Hall
Monday 3rd of October 2022
My lupine have flowered continually since June and are still going strong in October! Is this unusual?
Daniel
Monday 3rd of October 2022
Hi Mary,
Yes this is unusual, mine stopped flowering weeks and weeks ago, so I am jealous! I wouldn't worry about it though and just enjoy the flowers and cut them back as usual when they start to die back.