Russell hybrids Lupinus polyphyllus

macro shot of lupinus polyphyllus

the herbaceous lupine, lupinus polyphyllus, arrived in britain north america in 1820s, brought on david douglas. century later, george russell, horticulturist york, uk, started breed (later famous) russell hybrids (lupinus x russellii hort). lupinus polphyllus of basic colours , had large gaps in flowering spike. without use of modern-day plant breeding techniques, russell took ruthlessly pulling out plants deemed unacceptable in growth or display. spent 2 decades single-mindedly trying breed perfect lupine, crossing l. polyphyllus l. arboreus, l. sulphureus , 1 or more annual species (maybe l. nootkatensis).

over decades, plants selected developed flower spikes denser, larger, , more colourful original lupinus polyphyllus. work may have gone unrecognised if had not been encouraged nurseryman james baker show plants public. understood pair worked several years perfect russell hybrid, before displayed @ royal horticultural society s june show in 1937, brightly coloured, tightly packed spires won awards. russell later awarded mbe, , royal horticultural society awarded him veitch memorial medal lifetime s achievement in horticulture. baker later secured russell s entire stock; in heyday, bakers nurseries ltd. of codsall, wolverhamton attracted 80,000 visitors in june see 40 acres (16 ha) of lupines in flower.

russell disliked blue colours, reflected closely original plants imported america 100 years previously. blue colouring recessive allele, , although russell might have worked hard suppress it, lupines left unchecked on several generations revert old blues. garden lupines today hybrids of true russell hybrids due ease of cross pollinating 1 another, , no special interest in lupine cultivating until recent years has meant plants have created large pool of genetic diversity , variation original russells.

the templates created russell still used other specialist lupine horticulturalists today, e.g., maurice , brian woodfield, nurserymen stratford-upon-avon, received rhs veitch memorial medal work on lupines in 2000. woodfields created more complex plants more varied , vivid bi-coloured spikes, red , yellow, , red , purple flowers particular highlights of woodfield lupine variety. in 2009, sarah conibear runs westcountry nurseries, displayed several new varieties including ‘beefeater , rhs writer graham rice commented [the beefeater] has looks best red lupine ve seen far.