Gallery Yellow Shades lupines were bred for a compact growth habit and spires of showy pea-like flowers that can rise a foot or more above the plants. They are probably a hybrid of two species native to the Pacific Northwest. The compound leaves are also attractive, with eight leaflets radiating around a central point, growing on long petioles.

Lupines are native mostly to the Western states, with two species found in Eastern states and a few in southern Europe. They require well-drained, slightly acidic soil. They grow in full sun and need a dressing of compost or fertilizer to thrive. The cultivated varieties prefer cooler temperatures to flower and are treated as annuals or short-lived perennials.