Lupine, Gallery Red

Gallery Red Lupine brings bold, vertical drama to the late spring and early summer garden with dense, upright spikes of vivid red pea-like flowers that rise to 24 to 36 inches tall and create an almost architectural effect when planted in sweeps. The deeply fingered, palmate foliage has an elegance all its own, catching water droplets that cling to its velvety surface in a way that draws the eye even between bloom cycles. A Great Lakes native, it draws butterflies throughout its bloom period and contributes genuine ecological value to the sunny garden or naturalized hillside planting. Deer and rabbits leave it alone, and its adaptability makes it equally effective as a bold border accent, a hillside stabilizer, or a mass planting where repeated spikes of red create a vivid seasonal show. For best results, site it in full sun with good drainage and cool-season moisture; lupines bloom most freely when nights are still cool. Pair it with white or yellow companions for a striking contrast that celebrates the best of the late spring garden.