Polar Princess Lupin

• Variety: Polar Princess
• Latin name: Lupinus polyphyllus 'Polar Princess'
• Type: Hardy herbaceous perennial
• Flower: Pure white
• Height: 75–90cm
• Spread: 65–75cm
• Flowering: June to August (with deadheading)
• Scent: Lightly fragrant
• Hardiness: Fully hardy (H5)
• Series: Westcountry. Bred in Devon. PBR protected
• Sold as: P9 and 2-litre pot-grown plants, grown on by us
• Plant outdoors: Spring or autumn
• Delivered: Spring and autumn. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Polar Princess Lupin – Pure White, Densely Packed

White lupins are harder to get right than they sound. Seed-grown whites tend to muddy: a bit of cream here, a tinge of lilac there. and after a year or two the seedlings revert to blue. Polar Princess doesn't have that problem. It's tissue-cultured from Sarah Conibear's original selection at Westcountry Nurseries in Devon, so every plant is genetically identical and the flowers are clean, pure white from first spike to last. Gertrude Jekyll was particularly fond of white lupins for the way they light up a border, and she'd have approved of this one.

The spikes are densely packed with flowers and reach 75–90cm. Polar Princess is one of the later varieties in the Westcountry series, typically opening in July when Masterpiece and Red Rum are already fading. That makes it useful for extending a lupin display into midsummer. Sturdy stems, self-supporting, no staking needed.

White in the Border

A white lupin is the plant that makes all the other colours around it look better. It separates strong colours that might otherwise clash, brightens a shady corner, and catches the light in the evening when warmer colours have already disappeared into the dusk. Plant it between bold neighbours — the deep purple of Masterpiece on one side, the red of Red Rum on the other — and the white gives each colour room to breathe. It also works beautifully in a single-colour white garden, where the strong vertical form of the lupin spike contrasts with the rounder shapes of white roses and Shasta daisies.

What to Plant with Polar Princess

The purple-and-white combination of Polar Princess with Masterpiece is the simplest way to make a lupin border look designed rather than dotted. For a longer season, plant with salvias — Hot Lips in red and white echoes the clean colour theme and keeps flowering long after the lupins have finished. Cosmos 'Purity' behind gives you another white vertical later in summer, keeping the scheme going into September. At ground level, silver foliage (lamb's ears, artemisia) underlines the cool palette.

Why Ashridge?

We grow Polar Princess from licensed stock in peat-free compost with biological controls. Every plant is established and ready to go straight into the border, not a liner that needs nursing. If it doesn't perform, we'll replace it. The same people who grow your plants are the ones who answer your calls. See the full perennial collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do lupins need full sun?

They do best in full sun, and the flower spikes will actually follow the sun's movement across the sky on a bright day. Partial shade is tolerated, but the plants produce fewer spikes and the stems may lean towards the light. A south-facing or west-facing border gives the best results. Avoid heavy shade entirely.

How long do lupins live?

Three to five years is typical. Lupins aren't the longest-lived perennials, but they're vigorous growers and give you a generous display in their prime years. After three or four seasons the crown can become woody and the flower production declines. At that point, replace with fresh plants rather than trying to rejuvenate old clumps.

Will seedlings from Polar Princess be white?

Almost certainly not. Lupin seedlings don't come true to the parent and typically revert to blue or purple. This is one reason the Westcountry varieties are tissue-cultured — it's the only way to guarantee the colour. If you spot self-sown seedlings around your plant, the flowers will be a lucky dip. They may be attractive, but they won't be Polar Princess. And since these varieties are PBR-protected, propagation without a licence isn't permitted.

Can I divide lupins?

Lupins don't divide well. They have a deep taproot rather than a fibrous root system, so splitting the crown usually damages both halves. If you need more plants, basal cuttings taken in spring (when new shoots are about 10cm long) have a better success rate than division — but note that Westcountry varieties are PBR-protected and shouldn't be propagated without a licence.

Do slugs eat lupins?

Yes, enthusiastically. Young growth in spring is particularly vulnerable. A ring of grit or copper tape around the base helps, and evening patrols with a torch in damp weather will catch the worst offenders. Nematode biological controls work well too. Once the plants are established and growing strongly the slug damage is less significant, but the first few weeks after new growth emerges are the danger period.