#lupinus

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 7 May 2025

The hairy leaves and early flowering distinguish what is probably Lupinus nootkatensis (dwarf perennial lupin, Nootka lupin, sand lupin). This perennial is native to North America but has been introduced to Europe and can in some areas be considered as an invasive species. It can be difficult to transplant due to a long tap root and is best grown from seed being planted out as young container grown plants.

I've promised them so now I deliver 🙏

Ferdinando Cosentini (1769 – 1840) was an Italian professor of botany.

A lupine native to the western Med, but now a common weed in parts of Australia (such as my backyard) and southern Africa. It grows to about a meter and half tall, and dies off at the end of the season.

It was introduced to Australia as a hardy, nitrogen-fixing forage crop, despite being somewhat poisonous, and rapidly became a problem.