Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - April 20, 2008
From: Bryceville, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Propagation, Seeds and Seeding, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Information about Lady Lupine (Lupinus villosus)
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Dear Mr.Smarty Plants, Lady Lupine grows in our yard in northeast Florida, and I would like to learn more about it, especially the stages it goes through, like now the purple petals themselves are changing to a feather-like stage. I have not been able to find any information on this. Can you guide me? Thank you.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants has no personal knowledge of Lupinus villosus (lady lupine) and there doesn't seem to me much information about the life cycle of this plant. There are descriptions in several books, however. The majority say that it is a perennial (Bell and Taylor, "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants"; Taylor, "Florida Wildflowers in Their Natural Communities"; and Duncan, "Wildflowers of the Eastern United States"). However, Nelson, "East Gulf Coastal Plain Wildflowers" calls it a "robust annual or biennial".
Duncan says: "This species to 50 cm. from a deep woody taproot. Stems mostly decumbent, a few to many in a dense clump. Leaves evergreen and simple, which is unusual for lupines since almost all have deciduous palmately compound leaves. Standard purple to reddish with a deep reddish-purple spot."
So, considering that it is perennial (going with the majority) and evergreen, the leaves should persist year round and the blossoms (if they have been fertilized) should produce fruits in the form of pods with seeds inside. The leaves might die down some in the winter but will be replaced in the spring. You might consider gathering the seeds for planting if you are wanting to introduce more into your garden since we suspect that large plants will be difficult to transplant. You should leave established wild-growing plants where they’re growing and collect a few seeds for propagation. You should try to duplicate wild-growing conditions as much as possible in the garden.
More Propagation Questions
Native grass for Austin to sow in the early spring
December 02, 2010 - What is the best native grass seed to plant in the Austin area? What is the best time of year to plant? I'll be planting in an area that has no real established grass.
view the full question and answer
Time to mulch without inhibiting seeds in Hitchcock, TX
March 17, 2010 - When would be the best time of year to put down mulch, if I want my native plants to re-seed? I don't want to bury the seed under mulch layers or new dirt.
Thank you.
view the full question and answer
Propagation of Mexican buckeye from seeds in San Antonio
October 02, 2009 - I recently collected seeds from a Mexican buckeye. Is it best to plant them now or wait until spring? Do they need to be scarified?
view the full question and answer
Propagation by seed of Texas Mountain Laurel
September 20, 2008 - I just harvested a grocery bag full of Texas Mountain Laurel seed pods.
I want to cast them out in a field and wooded area near NW Austin. Is it best to leave the seeds in the pods or remove the pod...
view the full question and answer
Petunias pollinated by clematis from Logansport IN
July 11, 2012 - Can petunias be pollinated by clematis? I have 2 petunias that have split blooms and look like a small clematis flower. They are growing close to a jackamani clematis.
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |