page_title: Lupinus polyphyllus
section_title: Invasive species
hierarchical_section_title: Lupinus polyphyllus / Invasive species
caption_attribution_description: English: Lupinus polyphyllus, known as Russell lupin in New Zealand, alongside State Highway 8 in the Canterbury region.
context_page_description: Lupinus polyphyllus is a species of lupine native to western North America from southern Alaska and British Columbia east to Quebec, and western Wyoming, and south to Utah and California. It commonly grows along streams and creeks, preferring moist habitats.
  It is a perennial herbaceous plant with stout stems growing to 1.5 metres tall. The leaves are palmately compound with 9-17 leaflets 3–15 centimetres long. The flowers are produced on a tall spike, each flower 1–1.5 centimetres long, most commonly blue to purple in wild plants. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees. The polyphyllus variety in particular make up a great number of the hybrids which are generally grown as garden lupines, they can vary dramatically in colours. The majority of lupines do not thrive in rich heavy soils, and often only live for a matter of years if grown in such places, because crown contact with manure or rich organic matter encourages rotting.
  This lupine may represent a significant threat to the survival of the endangered Karner blue butterfly, due to its ease of hybridization with the Karner's food plant, Lupinus perennis, the sundial lupine.
context_section_description: In New Zealand, where it is known as the Russell lupin, Lupinus polyphyllus is classed as an invasive species and covers large areas next to roadsides, pastures and riverbeds, especially in the Canterbury region. It is documented as being first naturalised in 1958 and it has been suggested that tour bus drivers deliberately spread seeds of the plant to promote colourful roadside vegetation in areas which some tourists may consider to be rather drab. The plant threatens indigenous species especially when it invades the braided river beds in the South Island.
  It is also classed as an invasive species in Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, and Ukraine.
caption: Russell lupines alongside a road in Canterbury, New Zealand.
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