06/04/2026
Can you distinguish between our native lupine (sundial) and the Big leaf non-native variety? One of the more reliable ways to identify mature plants is to count the leaflets radiating from the center of a single leaf. Native lupines generally have between 5 to 11 leaflets. Non-native (and hybrid) lupines have 11 to 17 (or more) significantly larger leaflets.
The native lupine is a host plant for specific native wildlife including the endangered Karner blue butterfly. Some non-native lupines easily cross-pollinate with native species. These resulting hybrids and non-native plants cannot support native caterpillars like the Karner blue.
For more information, click the following link: https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2024/06/what-are-differences-between-native-wild-lupine-bigleaf-lupine-commonly-seen-new-hampshire
