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The Seed With a Family Tree
Written By: Jeannie Chambers - The Accidental Gardener | Issue: 2016/05 - May
There’s something about seeing a clump of Lupins that takes you back – waaaaayyyyy back.
These plants were cultivated in Highlands over 6,000 years ago. No, not these Highlands, but rather the Andean Highlands of South America. They have been grown all over the world. Lupins are grown for their edible seeds for the most part, but we tend to just adore their beauty. The lupinus, (commonly known as lupin or lupine) is part of the legume family, and is also referred to as “lupin beans.” The early Egyptians ate them, the Romans ate them throughout the Roman Empire, and the Incas ate them even before the Incan Empire. Today, one can find Lupin beans canned and sold soaked in brine like olives.
They are sometimes used as appetizers, but also used as an ingredient in vegan foods such as tofu, and are considered a better protein source than soybeans, and guess what? They’re also gluten free and are considered a prebiotic. Before you raid your garden, you may also want to know that many people that have peanut allergies shouldn’t eat lupin beans, and there’s a soaking process to get rid of some kind of natural chemical sounding name that I can’t pronounce that make some lupines not food grade material. I’ve read that over 80 percent of the world’s population of Lupine is in Australia, where the plant is grown and processed as an ingredient for livestock feed.
I think the Lupine plant looks regal and has a place in every garden. There are over 200 species of this plant, and it’s known for increasing the nitrogen levels of the soils in which it is grown. Lupine grows well in well-drained soil, and likes a good daily sunbath. Some plants grow up to be about four feet tall. The colors range from yellow, to pink, and purple.
There are usually several offered at the Mountain Garden Club’s annual Plant Sale. Remember the date, May 28. You’ll need to be there when the gates open at 9:00 A.M. to get specific plant offerings like Lupine. The sale runs until noon at the Highlands Ball Field at the corner of Hickory Street and US 64 East.
The good thing about lupine — when you talk to your plants (and you should always talk to them), tell them if they don’t give you what you want, you have a pot waiting for them. No, that’s not nice– but here’s something that is nice about Lupines – they’re great for butterflies, and the world could always use a few more butterflies.
