Lupine Plant Information
Lupine is often seen blooming at the side of the road and in other wild places. It is recognized by its tall, flowering stalk and bonnet-shaped petals that are commonly blue or purple. According to the Britannia Online Encyclopedia, the word lupine, or lupin, is from the Latin for "wolf." It was once thought that lupine plants "wolfed" down nutrients from the soil but in fact, lupines increase soil fertility and some varieties are grown as cover crops to improve the nitrogen levels of soil between other plantings. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Description
-
Lupine is an herbaceous perennial that grows 12 to 26 inches in height, depending on the variety, according to the University of Illinois' Veterinary Medicine Library (UIVML). Its leaves are palmately divided, looking something like open umbrellas, and alternate. The top of the leaves may be smooth or slightly hairy and the bottoms are always hairy. The bloom of the lupine is a center stalk that grows 4 to 10 inches high and displays flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, white and yellow.
History
-
People were cultivating the lupine plant at least 2,000 years ago, according to the University of Wisconsin-Extension's Alternative Field Crops Manual. Cultivation probably began in Egypt or the Mediterranean. There are more than 300 species of lupine, some of which produce a high-protein, edible legume; however, the seed once had to be soaked to remove toxins before it could be consumed by people or livestock. German plant breeders created the first "sweet lupines" in 1920. Sweet lupines were the first varieties that could be directly consumed without harm.
-
Warning
-
Some species of wild lupine carry a potentially toxic amount of nicotine-like quinolizidine and piperodone alkaloids that can be harmful to range animals such as sheep and cattle, according to the University of Illinois' Veterinary Medicine Library. The amount of poisoning depends on the variety of lupine and susceptibility of the animal. For these reasons, it is difficult to predict exactly which varieties of lupine should be avoided; however, most problems occur in the fall when animals ingest large amounts of lupine pods during a brief period.
Growth Habit
-
Lupine grows differently than most other legumes. Its maximum growth rate happens when it is flowering. Secondary and tertiary flowers can appear even after the main flower stem has stopped growing, though not every variety of lupine can develop fruit-producing pods on these new flowers. The growth rate and pod production of the lupine is strongly influenced by the environment in which is it growing.
Environmental Requirements
-
Lupine adapts to a wide range of soil conditions but requires good drainage. Lupine is susceptible to roots rot, fungus, canker and other diseases that are associated with excessive moisture in the soil. Beds must be weeded regularly because lupine grows slowly and does not compete well with weeds. It grows best as a cool season crop, especially in areas that experience hot weather peaks in the early summer.
-
References
- Photo Credit lila lupine image by Dieter Groth from Fotolia.com
