Lupinus (caudatus)

Scott Jensen Botanist USDA FS - Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory 735 N 500 E Provo, Utah 84606 801-356-5128 801-375-6968 (fax) sljensen@fs.fed.us www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise

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Family Scientific Name:	Fabaceae
Family Common Name:	Legume family
Scientific Name:	Lupinus caudatus Kellogg
Common Name:	tailcup lupine
Species Code:	LUCA
Ecotype:	5 biotypes from Nevada ranging in elevation from 4700 to 6500 ft.
General Distribution:	Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming, south to California, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado. Sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, mountain brush, ponderosa pine, aspen, mixed conifer and grassland communities.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	.5 cu.in. QPlug
Time To Grow:	12 Weeks
Target Specifications:	Transplantable plug. 4+ true leaves.
Propagule Collection:	Lupine pods shatter when ripe, requiring collection while the seed is still green. As seed ripens pods become thin and change from green to yellow becoming somewhat transparent. Pods are ripe for harvest when individual seeds can be readily made out as a pod is held to the sky. Seed can be collected by hand stripping or breaking or cutting ripened inflorescences. This species does not ripen uniformly. Multiple collecting trips are required to maximize harvest. Harvested lupine seeds and pods have high moisturecontent and must be spread out to dry quickly. Small collections are covered with metal screens and large collections with mesh tarps to catch seed as the pods forcefully dehisce.
Propagule Processing:	Separate loose seed at the bottom of the bag or tarp from pods. Lupine seed tends to be brittle and can be damaged by aggressive abrasion. Dry pods are run rapidly through a debearder then processed through a Clipper seed cleaner using a # 14 round screen and full wind to remove chaff.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seed is placed in boiling water for 1 minute and then put on moistened blotter paper in a Petri dish to imbibe. Most seed that is adequately scarified by this method will imbibe within a week. Seed is refrigerated during the imbibing interval to retard fungal growth. Imbibed seed is inoculated with rhizobium and mycorrhizae then planted. Planting occurs in late January or early February.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Greenhouse: 65øF day/ 50ø night with 12 hours of light. Beaver Plastics 91/130 Styroblock containers are filled with 7.5 in3 Q plugs leaving a ¬" headspace. Two seeds per cell are planted ¬" to «" deep. Trays are heavily watered three to four times to saturate potting media. (Q Plugs are available from International Horticultural Technologies, LLC. Hollister CA. www.ihort.com)
Establishment Phase:	Germination begins in about 4 days. Trays are watered as needed to ensure seed remains moist.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks. About 70% of germination occurs within 11 days. The first true leaves appear in about 2 weeks.
Active Growth Phase:	Trays are thinned to 1 plant per cell. At 2 week intervals, beginning at 4 weeks, plants are fertilized with a liquid drench (15N:15P:15K).
Length of Active Growth Phase:	8 weeks.
Other Comments:	Funding was provided by the Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project.
References:	Welsh, S. L., Atwood, N. D., S. Goodrich and Higgins, L. C. 2003. A Utah Flora. Third Edition, revised. Brigham Young University, Provo. USDA, NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 26 February 2007). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Citation:

Jensen, Scott L. 2007. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Lupinus caudatus Kellogg plants .5 cu.in. QPlug; USDA FS - Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory Provo, Utah. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.