Lupinus luteus
| Lupinus luteus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Lupinus luteus (common name: yellow lupin)
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, succeeding in any moderately good soil in a sunny position[1][2]. Succeeds in poor soils[3]. Requires an acid to neutral soil[2].
Cultivated for its edible seed in Italy[4], there are a number of varieties with sweet tasting seeds[5].
The flowers have a delicious vanilla-like perfume, the cultivar 'Romulus' has been especially mentioned[6].
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: Europe - Italy and the Mediterranean.
Habitat: Light acid soils[7].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[4][3][8]. Used as a protein-rich vegetable or savoury dish in any of the ways that cooked beans are used. The seed can also be ground into a powder and be mixed with cereal flours for making bread etc[5]. If the seed is bitter this is due to the presence of toxic alkaloids and the seed should not be eaten without treatment[5]. These alkaloids can usually be removed by soaking the seed in 2 or 3 changes of water. Low alkaloid varieties were developed prior to 1930 by Von Sengbusch[5].
The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[5].
Usage: A good green manure for poor soils, it is quite fast growing and fixes atmospheric nitrogen[7][9][10]. It is commonly grown as a soil improver in southern Europe[6].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Early Fall
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[11][12]. Taste is a very clear indicator. These toxic alkaloids can be leeched out of the seed
Also Known As: L. odoratus.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Woodward, L and P Burge. Green Manures. Elm Farm Research Centre, 1982.
- ↑ 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.