Gallery Red Lupine

Gallery Red Lupine, also known as Lupinus Gallery Red, is a striking perennial with both attractive foliage and fabulous flowers. The tall flower wands appear in midsummer with tight clusters of pea-like red flowers. The spikes can be cut for a long-lasting floral display indoors. The deeply-lobed blue-green foliage provides a fine texture to contrast coarser-looking plants. This is a must-have for the perennial garden! This is a compact, dwarf lupine that reaches a maximum height of 2 feet. Lupines are members of the legume family and are able to fix nitrogen from the air to improve the nutrient content of the soil. This lupine is cold hardy down to zone 4. It is very attractive to hummingbirds, bees and song birds. Deer and rabbits, on the other hand, tend to leave it alone. Grow Gallery Red in a cut-flower bed, plant them in mass on slopes or along woodland paths, or use them in containers for a bold statement on your patio or porch. Gallery Red Lupine Care Gallery Red prefers full sun, although it will tolerate light shade. It performs best in loose loam, rich in organic matter. The pH of the soil should be neutral to slightly acidic; you can add peat moss or sulfur to the planting hole if your soil is on the alkaline side. Provide plenty of moisture during hot summer months. Fertilize in early spring with an all-purpose slow-release formula. This plant benefits from deadheading to prolong blooming and improve its overwintering success. Cut back hard after blooming and again in early spring, before new growth starts. Protect the root zone in winter by applying a thick layer of compost. Gallery Red Lupine Spacing When planting groups of Gallery Red, space plants approximately 10 inches apart. When growing in containers, use a pot at least 12 inches in diameter. Plants in pots will require more frequent watering over the summer.