Thermopsis villosa (Carolina lupine)

Thermopsis villosa, also called Carolina lupine, is an upright, clumping perennial with green, clover-like foliage which produces spires of butter-yellow pea-like flowers in the early summer. Growing to large heights of 3-5' tall, Carolina lupine is an excellent choice for pollinator gardens and naturalized meadows, as well as seasonal wildflower borders, as flowers are highly attractive to bumblebees and plants act as larval hosts of a number of butterfly and moth species.

Through the end of summer, Carolina lupine produces thin, green seed pods which dry and turn brown during the colder months; these seed pods allow for easy self-seeding and also add an eye-catching, coppery element to the scenery through the fall that attract songbirds. More heat and drought tolerant than true lupines, Thermopsis villosa is an especially great addition to spaces with full or partial sun during the spring and summer months.