Mature size & growth rate

How big does Lupinus 'The Governor' (Lupinus 'The Governor') get?

Also called The Governor lupin, The Governor lupine.

More about lupinus 'the governor'

About Lupinus 'The Governor'

Lupinus 'The Governor' · also called The Governor lupin, The Governor lupine · flowering

'The Governor' is a Band of Nobles Russell lupin grown for bold, bicolored spires of deep marine-blue and crisp white pea-flowers in early summer. A clump-forming cottage-garden perennial reaching about 90 cm, it loves cool summers, full sun and moist, slightly acid soil. All lupins contain quinolizidine alkaloids and are toxic to pets.

Mature size: 90-100 cm (about 3 ft) tall and 60-75 cm wide; often short-lived (3-4 years) and best treated as a renewable perennial.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Lupinus 'The Governor' is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to 90-100 cm (about 3 ft) tall and 60-75 cm wide, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (often short-lived (3-4 years) and best treated as a renewable perennial.). Indoors and in a pot, expect 90-100 cm (about 3 ft) tall and 60-75 cm wide. In the ground with no restriction it is a completely different plant — often short-lived (3-4 years) and best treated as a renewable perennial. — which is why the pot, the light and the pruning matter so much for the size you actually end up with.

It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Growth rate and years to mature

Lupinus 'The Governor' is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed sparingly. as a nitrogen-fixing legume it needs no nitrogen feed; a low-nitrogen, potassium-rich fertiliser in spring supports bloom. excess nitrogen yields leafy growth and weak, floppy spikes.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the lupinus 'the governor' repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast lupinus 'the governor' grows.

How to keep lupinus 'the governor' smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For lupinus 'the governor' specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

The decisive tool is the secateurs: lupinus 'the governor' can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape.
Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size.
Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height.
Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Pick the new height. Decide how tall you want lupinus 'the governor' and find a leaf node or branch point just below that.
Top the main stem. Cut the main growing tip cleanly just above that node in spring; this permanently caps the height and forces side branches.
Keep the pot snug. Avoid jumping to a much bigger pot — a slightly restricted rootball keeps the whole plant smaller.
Maintain the shape. Prune back the tallest new leaders each spring to hold it at the height you chose.

How to grow lupinus 'the governor' bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for lupinus 'the governor' the accelerators are:

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators.
Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back.
Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The lupinus 'the governor' light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When lupinus 'the governor' outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for lupinus 'the governor':

The top leaves pressing against or bent by the ceiling — the classic "this is now too tall indoors" sign.
It has to be moved away from a light source it has literally outgrown.
Roots filling the largest pot you can reasonably keep indoors — at that point it is top-or-prune or move it outside (if hardy).

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the lupinus 'the governor' repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the lupinus 'the governor' propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Lupinus 'The Governor' size — frequently asked questions

How big does lupinus 'the governor' get?

Lupinus 'The Governor' reaches 90-100 cm (about 3 ft) tall and 60-75 cm wide when grown indoors, and far larger where it grows unrestricted (often short-lived (3-4 years) and best treated as a renewable perennial.). It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Is lupinus 'the governor' slow or fast growing?

Lupinus 'The Governor' is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Lupinus 'The Governor' is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to 90-100 cm (about 3 ft) tall and 60-75 cm wide, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (often short-lived (3-4 years) and best treated as a renewable perennial.).

How long does lupinus 'the governor' take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep lupinus 'the governor' smaller?

The decisive tool is the secateurs: lupinus 'the governor' can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape. Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size. Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height. Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

How can I make lupinus 'the governor' grow bigger or faster?

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators. Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back. Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.