Lupinus polyphyllus My Castle

The Lupin 'My Castle' is an old variety that has proven itself and continues its career as an exceptional cultivar. Its tall inflorescences overlook the flower beds in all their majesty and display a vibrant colour in shades of carmine pink, red, and purple. It is a robust plant that produces numerous flower spikes in June-July and forms superb bushy clumps with deeply divided, bright green leaves. Russell lupins do not appreciate limestone, but they are perfectly hardy and thrive very well in ordinary soil, even if it is clayey and heavy.

It is commonly accepted that Russell lupins are hybrids obtained by cross-breeding Lupinus polyphyllus, a perennial plant native to North America, and Lupinus hartwegii, an annual Mexican species. The best cultivars were patiently selected in the 1930s by a gardener named George Russell, who was passionate about lupins. Since then, other enthusiasts have taken over and dedicated themselves to obtaining robust, floriferous, and very reliable varieties. 'My Castle' is one of the most well-known cultivars, a variety that is part of the 'Band of Nobles' series, where you can find some celebrities like 'The Chandelier', 'The Chatelaine', and 'The Governor'. 'My Castle' is a vigorous bushy herbaceous perennial plant, forming clumps that are at least 90 cm (35in) tall when in flower and 60 cm (24in) wide, with rapid growth. In late spring and early summer, June-July, this plant displays plump spikes, sometimes reaching 50 cm (20in) in length, with a slightly stiff but remarkably graphic appearance, densely adorned with pea flowers measuring 1 to 3 cm (1in), in shades of red-pink to purple standard. Note that the flowers have a pleasant fragrance. The bright green, lush foliage and palmate leaves, with a minimum of 5 leaflets radiating from a single petiole, all stand out from those of other legumes.

Hybrid lupins are plants with very good hardiness that spread without aggressiveness and prove resistant to diseases. Their only weakness remains their attractiveness to gastropods, which will need to be protected against. Perfect in poor and too light soils, but without limestone, perennial lupins readily self-seed in suitable gardens, providing a profusion of often fragrant spikes in rainbow colours. Soften their somewhat stiff silhouettes with plants with rounded curves, such as roses, oriental poppies, and in matching colours. They thrive in the company of hollyhocks, grasses, and peonies, creating beautiful low-maintenance flower beds.