Thermopsis villosa: Country Or Region Of Origin
Southeastern United States
Plant Profile: Thermopsis villosa
Taxonomy: Thermopsis villosaNames
Blue Ridge Golden-banner, Bush Pea, Carolina False Lupine, Carolina Lupine, False Lupine, Southern Lupine, Thermopsis
Phonetic Spelling:ther-MOP-sis vil-OH-sah
Genus:Thermopsis
Species:villosa
Family:Fabaceae
The striking yellow blooms of Southern Lupine rise tall and create a stunning display in the springtime. While these clump-forming plants are originally from the mountainous regions of North Carolina and Georgia, they thrive remarkably well in the Piedmont and coastal areas, where traditional Lupines struggle due to the heat. It’s advisable to trim the foliage approximately a month after the flowers have faded.
Thermopsis villosa Feature Summary
Thermopsis villosa Image Gallery
Tags
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#perennial
#summer flowers
#native garden
#spring interest
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#larval host plant
#food source summer
#food source herbage
#audubon
Similar Plants
Thermopsis villosa Feature Summary
Attributes
Southeastern United States
Dry open woods and along roadsides.
Host for butterfly larvae.
Perennial
Fruit
Displays from July to September
Summer
Flowers
Sweet-pea-like flowers in crowded, long and narrow erect clusters. Blooms from May to June.
Gold/Yellow
Raceme
Good Cut
Showy
Spring
Summer
1-3 inches
Leaves
Leaves are divided into three elliptic to top-shaped leaflets; large leafy stipules at the base of the leafstalk; woolly-hairy plant; much-branched.
Green
Gray/Silver
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Elliptical
Entire
Velvety
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
10a
10b
Stem
Green
Landscape
Thermopsis villosa Image Gallery
Thermopsis villosa Attributes
Thermopsis villosa: Distribution
Dry open woods and along roadsides.
Thermopsis villosa: Wildlife Value
Host for butterfly larvae.
Thermopsis villosa: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Thermopsis villosa: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Thermopsis villosa Fruit
Thermopsis villosa: Fruit Description
Displays from July to September
Thermopsis villosa: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Thermopsis villosa Flowers
Thermopsis villosa: Flower Description
Sweet-pea-like flowers in crowded, long and narrow erect clusters. Blooms from May to June.
Thermopsis villosa: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Thermopsis villosa: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Thermopsis villosa: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Thermopsis villosa: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Thermopsis villosa: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Thermopsis villosa Leaves
Thermopsis villosa: Leaf Description
Leaves are divided into three elliptic to top-shaped leaflets; large leafy stipules at the base of the leafstalk; woolly-hairy plant; much-branched.
Thermopsis villosa: Leaf Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Thermopsis villosa: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Thermopsis villosa: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Thermopsis villosa: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Thermopsis villosa: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Thermopsis villosa: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Thermopsis villosa Whole Plant Traits
Thermopsis villosa: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Thermopsis villosa: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Thermopsis villosa: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Thermopsis villosa Cultural Conditions
Thermopsis villosa: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Thermopsis villosa: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Thermopsis villosa: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Thermopsis villosa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Thermopsis villosa Stem
Thermopsis villosa: Stem Color
Green
Thermopsis villosa: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Thermopsis villosa Landscape
Thermopsis villosa: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Thermopsis villosa: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Thermopsis villosa: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
