White Lupin is an annual grown for its pods, ready to pick about 120 days after sowing. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 10 and stands up to deer. Its mid spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the pods are the prize. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.
Zones
5-10
pH Range
4.8-8.2
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
120
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What White Lupin is
White Lupin grows as an annual and reaches around three feet at maturity. It blooms in mid spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow White Lupin
White Lupin grows in USDA zones 5 through 10 and is ready to harvest about 120 days after planting. White Lupin does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.8 to 8.2, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,200 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 90 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
5-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.8 - 8.2
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
42.8°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Days to Maturity
120 days
plant_species_v5.csv
GDD Required
1200+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
3 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
90+
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Start the season right
Plant white lupin in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
White Lupin prefers pH 4.8 to 8.2 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
White Lupin is ready about 120 days after sowing (University Extension production guides). Pick the pods young and tender, before the seeds inside fully swell.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — white lupin is toxic to dogs and cats and horses (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
White Lupin offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where White Lupin thrives
White Lupin is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 5–10·Where White Lupin growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, White Lupin can grow in these states:
See if White Lupin will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether white lupin actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow White Lupin in my zone?
White Lupin grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does White Lupin take to grow?
White Lupin is ready to harvest about 120 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant White Lupin?
Most growers plant white lupin after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 90-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does White Lupin need?
White Lupin needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does White Lupin need?
White Lupin prefers soil pH 4.8 to 8.2, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does White Lupin attract pollinators?
Yes — white lupin's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is White Lupin safe for pets?
White Lupin is toxic to pets (dogs,cats,horses) with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency.