EOTP HELP DEPARTMENT

Lupinus perennis occidentalis

Found in sunny areas of bare sand, wild blue lupine can be transplanted successfully as a seedling, if the tip of the root is not damaged. The plants imaged on this page show the variation of pigment seen in wild populations of this plant, from indigo to pure white, and afew pinkish specimens. This roots of this species contain colonies of nitrogen fixing bacteria, enabling it to thrive in otherwise nutrient poor bare sand. In earlier days people observed lupines' tendency to colonize sterile areas, and mistakenly concluded that they had caused the nutrient depletion by "wolfing" all of the nutrients from the soil--hence the name lupine, a dervative of "lupus" which is latin for "wolf. A large colony in bloom is an impressive, and sweet smelling, May extravaganza.

The federally endangered Karner Blue butterfly relies on lupinus perennis as a larval host plant, and for that reason there is considerable interest in reestablishing colonies lupine. Trying to move an adult plant is pure folly, but colonies are easy to start from seed, assuming the location is sandy and sunny, with little competition from weeds. The seedlings develop a tap root quickly, but can benefit from watering while they are getting established. However, the closely related silvery blue was observed at the Big Eastern project on July 1, 1994.