Lupines

[psilverman]

My wife wants to see Lupines in New Zealand. Is there a port on a cruise that works?  Time of year?  Thanks for any advice. 

[Muffinz]

this site might help you

https://www.meghanmaloneyphotography.co.nz/post/where-to-find-lupins-new-zealand 

Unfortunately they grow inland in the central south Island and not easily accessible by a cruise port on the coast

 

"Generally starting mid-to-late November through to early January. The lupins flower first around Tekapo and the Mackenzie Basin and gradually make their way south through the Lindis Pass and as far as Queenstown and Glenorchy"

 

to see the Lupins in bloom you'd need to go to Queenstown and drive north towards Tekapo, or go to Christchurch and drive inland towards Queenstown. It's a 3 hour drive from Queenstown to Tekapo and the same from Christchurch to Tekapo

[cruiser3775]

Some cruises from Australia to NZ which go around the bottom of the south island through Fjordland do offer a side trip. You disembark from the cruise ship in Milford Sound and do a two day one night overland trip via Queenstown, then reboard the ship at an east coast port. It's quite expensive, but very scenic. If you picked the right time of year, you would probably see the lupins.

[OzKiwiJJ]

However I believe they are now considered a non-native invasive species in NZ as they are invading habitats of native birds. Very sad as they are so pretty and they are a legume so nitrogen-fixing in soil. At one stage they were planted in cleared forestry sections to improve the soil before replanting.