Lupinus hirsutus
| Lupinus hirsutus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Lupinus hirsutus
Propagation: Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in mid spring in situ[1][2]. You may need to protect the seed from mice. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
The seed can also be sown in situ as late as early summer as a green manure crop.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any moderately good soil in a sunny position[1][2].
There is some doubt over this name. L. hirsutus was used twice by Linnaeus, in 1753 for an European species and again in 1763 for an American species. The American species was subsequently renamed L. micranthus, but we believe that the original L. hirsutus is intended in this report of edibility.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[2]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.
Range: S. Europe.
Habitat: Cultivated ground and field margins[3].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[4]. Used as a protein-rich vegetable or savoury dish in any of the ways that cooked beans are used, they can also be roasted or ground into a powder and used in making bread[5]. If the seed is bitter this is due to the presence of toxic alkaloids and the seed should be thoroughly leached before being cooked[4].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The seed of many lupin species contain bitter-tasting toxic alkaloids, though there are often sweet varieties within that species that are completely wholesome[6][7]. Taste is a very clear indicator. These toxic alkaloids can be leeched out of the seed
Also Known As: L. micranthus.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press, 1987.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.
- ↑ Cooper, Marion. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. The Stationery Office, 1984.