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Thermopsis villosa

 
Thermopsis villosa
Synonym(s) Thermopsis caroliniana
Common name Carolina lupine, Aaron's rod
Family fabaceae
Life cycle perennial (Z3-9)
Flowers yellow (April-July)
Size 4'
Light full sun-part shade
Cultural notes well-drained soil
From seed scarify seedcoat, germinate at room temperature or with bottom heat
detailed seed-starting info below

Upright plant with attractive foliage, leaves arranged in threes. Pea-like flowers clustered as spikes on erect stalks are followed by seed pods tightly pressed against the old flower stalks. Ours flowers in early June.

Carolina lupine, Aaron's rod
The leaves are oblong with rounded tips.
Thermopsis villosa
Bees don't say no to the large flowers

This plant used to grow in our garden, but it slipped away...

Seed for this plant is included on my seed trade list

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Seed-starting details for this plant

  1. Seed from AHS '00 distribution. Cellpack 70F (5%G, 16d). Also baggy 70F (11%G, 8d).
  2. Seed from '02 garden. Baggy 70F with light (several weeks) - 35F (several weeks) - 70F with light.
  3. Seed from '03 garden. Baggy 70F&75F (no G, 12 wks). Moved seeds to pot, set outside in mid-April. Germination started late May, continued into June, for total 25%G
  4. Same seed as above. Scarified hard with sandpaper, soaked 1d. Baggy 70F (25d) - 75F (55d; 68%G, 19-25d)
  5. Same seed as above. Scarified with sandpaper, soaked 2d. Baggy 75F (50+%G, 7-20d)
  6. Seed from '10 trade. Sandpapered, baggy 75F (12%G, 6-10d) - sandpapered again - (38%G, 8-17d)
  7. Same seed as above. Sandpapered, baggy 75F (84%G, 4-12d)
  8. Same seed as above. Sandpapered, baggy 75F (62%G, 7-18d). Non-germinated seeds had not swollen, would likely have responded to further scarification
  9. Same seeds as above. Sandpapered, baggy 70F (83%G, 10-24d)
  10. Seed from '15 garden. Sandpapered, baggy 70F (61%G, 16-28d)

The key to germination appears to be penetrating the seedcoat and providing adequate warmth.


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