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Lupinus arboreus - Sims.

Tree Lupin

Author	Sims.	Botanical references	11, 200
Family	Leguminosae	Genus	Lupinus
Synonyms
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[65, 76]. Taste is a very clear indicator. These toxic alkaloids can be leeched out of the seed by soaking it overnight and discarding the soak water. It may also be necessary to change the water once during cooking. Fungal toxins also readily invade the crushed seed and can cause chronic illness[65].
Range	South-western N. America - California to Oregon. Naturalized in S. England.
Habitat	Stable sand dunes, coastal scrub and pine forest close to the coast. Naturalized by the sea in S. England[184].
Edibility Rating	0 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 1.5m by 1.2m at a fast rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

Other Uses

Dye; Pioneer; Soil reclamation; String.

A bright yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[168]. The root fibres have been used to make a string for making nets etc[257]. Plants are used in land reclamation schemes to stabilize sandy soils and dunes[200]. Because they are fast growing and tolerant of maritime exposure, they quickly provide shelter for other plants as well as enriching the soil with nitrogen[K]. An excellent pioneering plant in permaculture, even in exposed areas it grows rapidly to its maximum height of about 1.5 metres and will give shelter to enable other less tolerant plants to become established. It is especially useful for helping the establishment of shrubs and herbaceous perennials in small gardens[K].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers bear the fragrance of white clover.

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained dry or moist soil in a sunny position[11, 182]. Prefers an alkaline soil[188]. Grows well near the coast[11], resisting maritime exposure. Established plants are drought tolerant[190]. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn[233]. Hardy to about -15°c[184, 200]. Plants are hardy in all but severe winters in Britain[200], though they become less hardy with age[11]. A fast-growing but short-lived plant[182], especially when growing in rich soils[11]. Plants have reached 2.7 metres tall and wide within 4 years from seed in a rich soil, flowering and producing seed prolifically[11]. Plants self-sow when in a suitable position[200]. The flowers bear the fragrance of white clover[245]. 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[200].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in early spring in a greenhouse[1, 200]. Germination should take place within a couple of weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer. It should also be possible to sow the seed in situ in mid to late spring. Protect the seed from mice. Cuttings of short side-shoots with a heel, July/August in a frame[11].

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Pioneer Species - Re-establishing Woodland.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.

[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[190] Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982 ISBN 0460045512
A good list of drought resistant plants with details on how to grow them.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Pioneer Species

mrs burton Thu Aug 9 2007

can i take cuttings from lupinus arboreus?

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