When lupins bloom in the fields. Perennial lupins: planting and care. With seed propagation, there is a possibility of changing the color of lupine. The dominant color will be purple, white is almost lost

Synonym: lupine, wolf bean.

Lupine is a genus of annual and perennial, mainly herbaceous plants of the legume family, with leafy stems, complex leaves on long petioles and inflorescences similar to a brush, blue, pink, red, white, yellow, violet, purple or cream color. Despite its toxicity, lupine is a valuable fodder, green manure and ornamental plant, and is also used in folk medicine some countries as a remedy for various skin diseases, diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as diabetes.

The plant is poisonous!

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flower formula

Lupine flower formula: ♀ ○ H(5)L1,2,(2)T(9)+1P1.

In medicine

Lupine is not included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation and is not used in official medicine, however, thanks to its chemical composition alkaloid lupanine, the plant has cardiotonic, antispasmodic, analgesic properties. It is also known that in some traditional medical practices of North American countries, herbal preparations (infusions, decoctions) of lupine are used as a tonic, but due to the toxicity of the plant, they are used less and less.

Lupine extract is used in the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of antiseptic patches.

Contraindications and side effects

Most types of lupins are poisonous, they should be used for medicinal purposes with great care and only under the supervision of a specialist. It is absolutely contraindicated to treat pregnant women, nursing mothers and children with lupine, as well as people with individual intolerance to legumes and a tendency to allergies.

In horticulture

Lupins are extremely decorative and unpretentious. They are popular with both beginner growers and more experienced gardeners. He is valued for unpretentiousness, variety of varieties, excellent external data. Lupins look great both in single plantings (in the center of a flower bed, for example), and as a background in flower borders, along a hedge, at the entrance to a house. Lupins go well with irises, peonies, bluebells, daisies, hosts, phlox.

On the farm

Annual species of lupins are considered the most valuable green manure (green manure). The high content of nutrients in the biomass, as well as a favorable symbiosis with nodule bacteria, endow the plant with the ability to improve soil structure, enrich it with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Lupine is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly and absolutely harmless fertilizer that surpasses manure in all respects.

In other areas

In cooking

It is known that the seeds of some species of lupine (for example, white lupine or multi-leaved lupine) are edible and are considered valuable food and dietary product. Lupine seeds contain up to 50% protein in their composition, as well as oil, the quality of which is not inferior to olive oil.

In Australia and some European countries, ground lupine seeds are added to bakery and confectionery products. Inhabitants South America the seeds of the plant ground into flour are used for the preparation of first and second courses. For them, lupine is a valuable legume, used along with corn and potatoes. In Germany, lupine seeds are used to make ice cream.

Culinary experts and nutritionists recommend soaking lupine seeds before cooking and be sure to heat them. These simple manipulations will remove excess bitterness from the product and speed up the cooking time.

The plant is popular with vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists. Lupine seeds are suitable for sprouting and can be used as a green supplement to vegetable salads, smoothies, light sandwiches and diet meals from other legumes.

In cosmetology

Lupine oil is known to be used for cosmetic purposes. It is rich in active substances and has good antioxidant properties. Lupine oil is added to masks and creams for the face, hands and body, aimed at nourishing and moisturizing aging skin. Lupine oil is no less effective for nourishing and strengthening weakened hair.

In animal husbandry

Seeds of edible species of lupine due to the high content of protein and nutrients are suitable for food for herbivores. Lupine seeds ground into flour are even used for the production of fish feed. The green mass of alkaloid-free (non-poisonous) varieties is also an excellent food. Alkaloid species are capable of causing severe poisoning (the so-called lupinosis) in ruminants. Getting into the body through the gastrointestinal tract, lupine acts irritatingly on the mucous membranes and, being absorbed, causes a breakdown in the functions of the central nervous system, dystrophy of the liver, kidneys, and heart muscle.

In other areas

Long-term lupine is used in forestry for spruce and pine plantings.

Classification

Lupine (lat. Lupinus) is a genus of plants from the legume family (lat. Fabaceae). It is represented by annual and perennial herbaceous plants, shrubs, shrubs, shrubs. In the genus Lupine (lat. Lupinus) there are two subgenera - Platycarpos (Wats.) Kurl. and Lupinus. The most widespread in Europe are 3 annual species - narrow-leaved or blue lupine (L. angustifolius), yellow lupine (L. luteus), white lupine (L. albus) and 1 perennial species - multi-leaved lupine (L. polyphyllus).

Botanical description

Lupins are annual and perennial herbaceous (rarely woody) plants with erect, branching, leafy stems up to 1-1.5 m high (in perennial species several stems). Branches erect, protruding or creeping. The root system is pivotal, deeply penetrating into the soil (1-2 m). Nodules of nitrogen-fixing bacteria Rhizobium lupini are located on the roots, absorbing nitrogen from the air, converting it into a bound state. The leaves are usually alternate, palmately compound, on long petioles, articulated with the stem with a fleshy leaf pad with elongated stipules.

The inflorescence is a multi-flowered apical raceme. The flowers are arranged alternately, semi-whorled or whorled. The flower is zygomorphic. The sail is rounded or oval, straightened in the middle, both halves of it are strongly bent back and tightly cover the rest of the petals before the flower opens (wings and boats are included inside it). The color of the corolla of the flower is varied in color, monophonic or variegated, most often blue. The calyx is two-lipped, the incision of the lips is deep, reaching almost the very base of the calyx, less often half of it. Bract solitary, located at the base of the flower bud, under the calyx, usually falling very early. The size and shape of the bract is extremely diverse. The consistency of the bracts ranges from pale membranous transparent to dense, rough leathery. The color of the bracts is different - cream, lettuce, green with anthocyanin and dark anthocyanin, almost black.

The stamens are unifraternal with some tendency to become bifraternal. All ten stamens at the bottom are fused with filaments into a single tube, at the top they are free. However, one of the stamens is somewhat isolated from the rest. Filaments in the free part towards the apex are somewhat thickened; five of them, opposite to the sepals, at first longer than the rest, later all filaments of the same length. Anthers are dimorphic in shape and size: opposite to the sepals (anthers of the upper tier) - larger and elongated; opposite to the petals (anthers of the lower tier) - smaller, round-reniform. Both those and other anthers are attached to the stamen filaments with their bases. Pollen grains in both groups of anthers are of the same size and shape, triangular, fine-meshed on the surface. Lupine flower formula: ♀ ○ H(5)L1,2,(2)T(9)+1P1.

Ovary free, sessile, with two or many ovules; the column is round, curved upwards, naked; stigma capitate, covered with numerous papillae, surrounded by a crown of rather hard hairs. The ovule is campylotropic, has one or two integuments, of which the outer one is much more developed, while the inner one consists of only two cell layers and is very little noticeable.

The bean is leathery, linear or slightly bent, somewhat compressed, less often slightly valky. The surface of the beans is uneven, often with prominent veins, the color is cream, brown or black.

Seeds are very diverse in size, shape and color. The surface of the seeds is smooth or fine-meshed. When the seed germinates, the cotyledons emerge from the soil and, turning green, turn into cotyledon leaves, which are equipped with stomata. Primary true leaves, invisible before germination, alternate. Primary leaves are often palmate, rarely trifoliate.

Spreading

Lupine is native to North America and the coast. mediterranean sea. Over 200 species of lupine grow in the Western and Eastern Hemisphere. More than 10 plant species have been introduced into cultivation.

In the Western Hemisphere, lupins are distributed from 0 to 4800 meters above sea level and above: from Patagonia to Alaska (Yukon) and from the Pacific to Atlantic Ocean. The greatest diversity is observed in the subalpine and alpine zones of the Andes and the Cordillera. Some types of lupine grow in the deserts of Arizona, Oregon, Texas, California, New Mexico, on the plateaus of Mexico, in the deserts of Peru and Chile, as well as in the oases of the Sahara. In Russia, lupins have become naturalized and are found in the European part of the country.

Distribution regions on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

For medicinal purposes, the aerial part of the plant, inflorescences and seeds are harvested, less often the roots. Lupine grass is harvested during flowering (between June and August), lupine flowers are harvested at the time of flowering, the roots of the plant are dug up, as a rule, after flowering has ended. Raw materials are dried in a dry, well-ventilated room or under a canopy; lupine can also be dried in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 50°C. Dried raw materials are stored in a well-ventilated, dry room, in paper containers or linen bags.

Lupine seeds are suitable for harvesting at the moment of full maturation. AT industrial scale they are harvested using special equipment, after which they are subjected to a process of drying and peeling. Store lupine seeds in a cool, dark room, away from sources of moisture and heat, in a hermetically sealed glass or plastic container. Under such conditions, they can retain all their original properties for 10-12 months.

Chemical composition

Lupine seeds contain protein (42.1%) fat (8.6%), alkaloids (lupanin - up to 3.5%, as well as lupinin, luranin, hydroxylupanin, angustifolin), carotene, flavonoids, sugars, starch, fiber, ash, calcium, nitrogen-free extractives, etc. Tannins, alkaloids, amino acids (aspartic, glutamine, etc.), fiber were found in the entire aerial part of the plant. In the leaves of the plant, up to 2% of the alkaloid lupanin and flavonoids were found. The chemical composition of the lupine root is practically not studied.

Pharmacological properties

Seeds of edible lupine species are primarily a valuable food product. They are rich in easily digestible proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals, nutritionists recommend including them in the diet of people suffering from anorexia, athletes and people exhausted by a long illness. In addition, regular use of this food product normalizes work gastrointestinal tract, increases resistance to infectious diseases, improve the condition of cardio-vascular system.

Despite the fact that lupine is not a pharmacopoeial plant and has no use in official medicine, due to the valuable substances that make up its chemical composition, it has some medicinal properties. The alkaloids that make up lupine can have a slight tonic effect on the body, stimulate the cardiovascular system, and have an antiseptic and antispasmodic effect. The tannins contained in lupine have astringent properties, which allows the plant to be used for various skin diseases accompanied by inflammatory process(including with the formation of pus).

Scientists have proven that lupine seeds can not only reduce the percentage of cholesterol in the blood, but also reduce the risk of diabetes. Yellow lupine seeds contain a special glycoprotein protein that can replace insulin. It is likely that his beneficial features in the future may help in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Application in traditional medicine

For centuries, lupine has been used in traditional medicine in South and Central America as an analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, tonic. Traditional healers use lupine herb to prepare water infusions, alcoholic tinctures and decoctions, which are used externally to treat skin diseases, ulcers, swelling, acne on the face and body. The aerial part of the plant, crushed into gruel in the form of an application, can relieve pain in case of inflammation of the sciatic nerve or pain in the joints. A decoction of lupine promotes the healing of purulent wounds, it is used to treat gangrene and abscesses. Lupine seeds ground into flour help to cure weeping ulcers on the body and head. It is also known to use lupine oil in folk medicine as a treatment for the liver, spleen and gallbladder.

History reference

The generic scientific name of the plant comes from the Latin word "lupus" - "wolf" and is explained by the ability of lupins to survive even in the most unsuitable conditions.

The use of lupine by man has been known since ancient times. Lupine seeds were white found in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs (2000 BC). At first, the plant was cultivated to obtain seeds that were used for food and animal feed after soaking in the sea and fresh water. Later, lupine began to be sown as green manure. The ancient Romans and ancient Greeks also ate lupine seeds and fed them to livestock.

In our country, the first crops of lupine date back to the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. Until 1941, lupine was sown in the USSR mainly as green manure. Since 1955 there has been a rapid displacement of crops of bitter (alkaloidal) lupins by fodder varieties.

Literature

1. Zhukovsky P. M. To the knowledge of the genus Lupinus Tourn.//Tr. according to app. bot., gen. and sat down. 1929. Vol. 21, issue 1. pp.16-294.

2. Kurlovich B. S., Nazarova N. S., Rybnikova V. A. et al. Study of samples of the world collection of lupine: (Methodological instructions). L.: VIR, 1990. 34 p.

3. Kurlovich B. S., Stankevich A. K. Intraspecific diversity of three annual species of lupine (Lupinus L.)]. scientific papers according to app. bot., gen. and sat down. 1990. T.135. pp.19-34.

4. Kurlovich B. S. et al. 1995. Lupin // in Book. Theoretical basis selection “Gene pool and selection of grain legumes” (Edited by B. S. Kurlovich and S. I. Repev), St. Petersburg, 430 pages.

5. Kurlovich, B. S. (Ed.). 2002 Lupins. Geography, Classification, Genetic Resources and Breeding. "Intan", 468p.

7. Gladstones, J.S. 1974. Lupinus of the Mediterranean region and Africa. Bull. West. Austr. Department. of Agr. 1974. No. 26. 48 p.

8. Lupine. Collection of articles, ed. Edited by N. A. Maisuryan. Moscow, 1962. Alekseev E.K., Annual fodder lupins, M., 1968; Alekseev E.K., Rubanov V.S., Dovban K.I., Green fertilizer, Minsk, 1970.

9. Tsitsylin A., medicinal plants in the garden and around us. Complete encyclopedia. M. : Litres, 2014. - Total pages: 4966.

I met when we moved into our house. There were so many of them on the site that at first I mistook them for a weed. There were many uninhabited areas around, and they were completely dotted with these plants.

Lupine means "wolf" in Latin. This unpretentious flower blooms with beautiful, tall flowers in early summer. It belongs to the legume family, this can be seen even in its seeds and flowers, which look like pea flowers. With the advent of garden hybrids, gardeners also fell in love with these flowers. They can be blue, pink, dark red, red, white and even tricolor.

Reproduction and planting of lupins

Lupine is propagated by seeds or vegetatively by cuttings.

Reproduction of lupins by seeds

Seeds can be sown in April. By the way, lupine seeds remain viable for up to 5 years.

But you can also sow them in the winter: in October - early November, the seeds are sown in open ground, sprinkled with a layer of peat on top. In the spring, the seeds will begin to grow, in early August you can see the first flowers. When planting seeds, when planting lupins on permanent place in a flower garden, you need to maintain a distance of 30-50 cm between plants.

Also, seeds can be sown for seedlings, and with the onset of spring, plant it in a permanent place in the ground. For seedlings, soil is mixed with peat and sand and seeds are sown in it. Land for landing should be loose. If there is an old plant, you can mix the soil with the nodules that are on its roots - to increase the number of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The seedlings are watered moderately, and with the appearance of 3-5 leaves they are planted in open ground after they pass.

When propagated by self-harvested seeds, there is a possibility of changing the color of lupine. The dominant color will be purple, while white is almost always lost.

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Cuttings of lupins

The vegetative method of propagation of lupins is. Renewal buds form at the base of the stems. Having captured part of the root neck, we cut out the renewal bud with a knife and plant it in sandy soil. After about 25 days, young plants will develop roots, and they can be safely planted in a permanent place.

If planting cuttings in the spring, take the rosettes that form at the base of the stem. If it's summer, take it side shoots formed in the leaf axils. The vegetative method is good in that it is possible to preserve the color of lupins.

Planting lupins

Lupins are undemanding to the composition of the soil, however, when planting, it is recommended to add peat to it. They prefer sunny places. They grow on any, but slightly alkaline, slightly acidic and neutral soils (sandy loam, light loam) are considered the best for them.

The plant turns yellow, in order to prevent this, peat is added - 5 kg per 1 m². Acidic soil must be deoxidized with dolomite or lime flour in the amount of 5 kg per 1 m². This is enough for 3-4 years. Do this in the spring before digging the soil, in the winter in the snow or in the fall after harvesting.

Lupine can grow even in sand, this is possible due to the fact that nitrogen-fixing bacteria are formed on its roots (bacteria located on plant nodules and accumulating nitrogen). Therefore, lupine (especially blue) enriches and improves the soil.

Lupine Care

In the first year of life of lupins, you need to remove and loosen the soil. It is necessary to pour the earth if the basal neck of the plant is exposed. It would be useful to add . After 2 years of flowering, the plants need to be hilled up so that the lateral roots develop and the plant retains its decorative appearance longer. After 4-5 years, lupine bushes are removed and new ones are planted, since old plants bloom little, and their inflorescences are no longer as lush and decorative as those of young ones.

Lupine bushes are tied up if they grow in windy places. To prolong flowering, the inflorescences are removed before the seeds appear, then in August the plant will bloom again and be able to form seeds before frost. To control spontaneous reproduction, it is also necessary to cut the inflorescences before the formation of seeds. Water lupins sparingly. By by and large, sunny place and good soil- a pledge of beautiful flowering.

Sometimes lupins can be affected, as well as fungal diseases: rust and powdery mildew. As a result, brown spots appear on the leaves and fruits or white rot at the root of the plant. In this case, you need to cut the diseased bush under the root and remove the affected parts of the plants. The newly grown shoots are usually healthy. In some cases, digging and liming of the soil is necessary.

Types of lupins

The lupins that delight us in our flower beds are mostly perennials, but there are also annual fodder lupins, these include: yellow lupine, narrow-leaved lupine, white lupine. Less common are shrub lupins.

This flower is of interest to breeders because it is easy to cross and undemanding to environmental conditions. Perennial ornamental lupine can reach a height of 50-150 cm. The leaves are collected in a matte green basal rosette. The flowers are collected in racemes of various colors. During selection, the shape and color of the flower can change.

To date, more than 600 species of lupine are known. We list several perennial and annual species:

Silver lupine (Lupinus argenteus)

Perennial plant up to 60 cm tall. Grows in western North America.

Frost resistant. Flowers of dark blue shades with a reddish center are collected in inflorescences on the main petals.

Bright blue flowers are collected in large, fluffy racemes of inflorescences. Height from 100 to 150 cm. It grows well in our latitudes, frost-resistant perennial flower. The variety of varieties of multi-leaved lupine is very extensive, its flowers can be snow-white, deep purple, two-color.

As a result of the selection of multi-leaved lupine, a whole group of garden hybrids was bred - Russell hybrids:

• "Kronleuchter" - pale lemon color;
• "Kastellan" - pale purple with white;
• "Main Schloss" - brick red;
• "Burg Fraulein" - boiled white;
• "Schlossfrau" - pale pink;
• "Edelknaben" - carmine.

Lupine (Lupinus) or wolf bean is a plant from the legume family.

Origin

In nature, perennial and annual species of lupine are found in the Mediterranean and North America. Just over 200 species of this plant are known. In culture, lupine has been grown for about 40 centuries, which indicates the undoubted benefits of the plant, and its high decorative qualities.

Description

Lupine is a powerful tall plant with rod system, going into the ground for a meter or more. Like other members of the legume family, lupine has the ability to form nodules of nitrogen-fixing bacteria on the roots. Thanks to bacteria, nitrogen from the air passes into the soil, into a state available for plant nutrition. This valuable quality has long been used by planting lupine on poor soils as a crop - green manure. Lupins are also planted for livestock feed, juicy and vitamin-rich greens are used for the production of silage.

The stems of the plant are covered with palmate bright green leaves. Lupine flowers are collected in apical inflorescences - brushes of the most different shades(white, blue, blue, yellow, purple, pink). rich color palette lupine makes it one of the most popular garden flowers. Seeds - beans ripen in autumn. Often the plant spreads self-seeding, and without control, can capture large areas. To prevent this from happening, faded lupine shoots are cut off.

You can appreciate the bright beauty of the lupine fields by looking at the photo of the plant.

Types and varieties of lupine

In our country, perennial lupine and its annual variety are successfully cultivated.

The Englishman D. Russell's lupine hybrids are very much appreciated by gardeners: Burg Freulin (snow-white flowers), Schlossfrau (pale pink flowers), Chamdeles (lemon-yellow inflorescences) and undersized mixture of multi-colored perennial lupins Lilu.

Choosing a place for planting lupine

This plant loves well-lit areas; in the shade, flowering will not be so plentiful.
Any soil is suitable, but it is important that they are well-drained. Stagnation of moisture lupine does not tolerate. A slightly acidic soil reaction is preferred. Alkaline soils are corrected by adding peat, and excessively acidic soils are corrected by liming (up to 5 kg of lime flour per 1 sq. meter).

Lupine is not picky about soil fertility. On the contrary, it is recommended to plant it on lands poor in humus, over time, the fertility of these soils increases.

Sowing seeds

You can sow lupine before winter (in October, followed by mulching the beds with a layer of peat), in spring (in April-May), and for seedlings in mid-March. For lupine seeds, the soil is prepared from a mixture of garden soil, sand and peat.

Little secret. In order for the seeds to sprout better, you need to break their dense shell a little. For example, rub the seeds between pieces of sandpaper.

Seeds are placed at a depth of 0.5 - 1 cm in moist soil. Between the seeds, a distance of 10 cm is observed (it is convenient to sow lupins immediately in separate peat pots). Seeds germinate at a temperature of +20 +22 degrees. When the seedlings grow 3-4 true leaves, it is time to plant them in open ground. Later planting seedlings threatens to damage the root system. Lupins are planted according to the scheme 30 by 30 cm, or 30 by 50 cm. Lupines planted from seeds at the end of summer or the next year will bloom.

Important! With seed propagation, the shade of the flowers of the mother plant is not always inherited. Most often, lupine flowers will be blue or purple, but almost never white.

Vegetative reproduction

You can get a lupine plant that exactly repeats the mother plant only by using vegetative propagation.

Kidney Pack. At the base of the stem of a perennial lupine are renewal buds from which a new plant can be grown. In early spring, they rake a little earth from the base of the stem, and look - if the buds are swollen, they are cut out with a sharp knife, along with a piece of the root neck. The cut on the stem is covered with garden pitch or sprinkled with charcoal. The kidney is immersed in a pot with sandy moist soil. It takes about 30 - 35 days to form roots, after which the division can be planted in the ground.

Lupine cuttings. A good planting material is the lateral shoots of lupine growing from the axils of the leaves. At the beginning of summer, cuttings are cut from an adult plant (at least 3 years old) into the right amount, and planted for rooting in fertile soil. It is useful to water immediately after planting with any growth stimulator.

Care

The plant does not require watering. Needs moisture only during periods of heat and drought. In a typical summer in the middle zone, natural precipitation is enough for lupine. Each watering is accompanied by loosening, the flow of air to the roots is vital for the plant.

Tall varieties of lupins must be tied to supports and the base of the stem must be spudded, otherwise, under gusts of wind, the plant risks breaking off.

Lupine needs pruning of faded shoots. This procedure will prevent self-seeding and save the plant's strength for re-flowering.

perennial lupins feed once a year, in the spring, introducing into the soil a complete mineral fertilizer containing no nitrogen.

In one place, perennial lupine is left to grow up to 5 years. Then the landings must be updated in a new place. The best predecessor crops for lupine are cereals.

Lupine is prone to fusarium, gray mold, mosaic and rust. Of the pests, the sprout fly also annoys the plant. It is necessary to regularly inspect the plants and apply insecticide treatment in time.

For winter, the aerial part of the plant is cut almost flush with the ground. The bush is covered with a layer of sawdust, shavings or peat. Lupine is an unpretentious winter-hardy plant, and winters well in our latitudes.

Lupine in garden decoration

Large bright lupine candles are visible from afar. The plant looks spectacular, planted in groups in the background, and arranged in rows along the paths.

In joint compositions with other plants, lupine is planted in the background of a flower garden. The flower goes well with such plants: phloxes, poppies,.

Lupine as a green man

Annual species of lupine are used as a "green manure", as they grow faster and are more unpretentious. These are yellow lupine, white lupine, narrow-leaved lupine.

The benefits of lupine for the soil are not only the presence of nodule bacteria on the roots, which enrich the soil with nitrogen. By themselves, powerful roots that go deep into the ground perfectly loosen it and saturate it with oxygen. In addition, lupine repels the wireworm, which is especially important for areas where potatoes are cultivated.

The technology for growing lupine as green manure is simple. In the spring, plant seeds are sown on prepared soil according to a 12 by 30 cm pattern. As lupine grows, the field is cleared of weeds, and the plantings are watered if necessary. After 50 - 60 days, the lupine greens are mowed and the soil is covered. It is more convenient to do this using a walk-behind tractor or a tractor. The greens quickly rot, in the fall it is already possible to carry out winter sowing on the site.

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Useful properties of lupine

Lupine is an interesting photophilous and moisture-loving plant. It is distinguished by large leaves, which are always turned towards the sun. Lupine is not picky about soil fertility. From this wonderful plant, the most valuable oil is obtained, which is a natural antioxidant. It is often used for cosmetic purposes.

For people with cardiovascular disease, healthy oil is a kind of medicine. Lupine is rich in proteins. In crop rotation, this excellent plant is considered an important source of biological nitrogen. Lupine seeds contain protein, which, in combination with green mass, can be used as feed for farm animals.

The use of lupine

Lupine is great for ulcers and also fights well on the face. If you make a medicinal bandage from such a plant, then it will quickly help with such an ailment as inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Treatment of gangrene with lupine decoction prevents decay. The flour from this plant will help get rid of wet sores on the head. If you boil lupine in vinegar and add pepper with honey, then such a remedy helps to open clogged passages in the spleen. It should also be noted that given plant can soothe nausea and increase appetite.

Lupine seeds

After the flowering of lupine, beans are formed, they dry out unevenly and twist into interesting spirals. The leaves open and the seeds are scattered. The seeds of this plant are quite large. From them you can easily grow excellent perennials. To do this, it is necessary to sow swollen lupine seeds in April in the ground on shaded beds, and in May the resulting seedlings can already be planted in the garden. Particularly beautiful specimens can be propagated vegetatively.

Lupine angustifolia

The beautiful narrow-leaved lupine can easily be found growing wild in the Mediterranean. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, crops of this plant have appeared in Ukraine. It is resistant to cold and can withstand severe frosts. Such a moisture-loving plant prefers light sandy and loamy soils. The growing season ranges from 70 to 170 days, depending on the narrow-leaved lupine variety.

Such a self-pollinating plant can reach a height of 150 cm. root system can be 2 m long. The erect green stem has a slight pubescence. Large leaves consist of 8 lanceolate grooved elements. The inflorescence is presented in the form of an apical few-flowered brush, and the fruit is in the form of a swollen bean. Each bean contains about 5 rounded seeds.

Lupine varieties

Annual lupins are considered hybrids of different species. Some miniature species are especially popular. They reach a height of half a meter. Such varieties have white or milky flowers, which can be either one-color or two-color. The almost fleshy lupine boasts of its heavenly inflorescences. Many tall perennial lupins can be easily grown as annuals.

Lupine flowers

This original plant blooms in middle lane Russia and in the warm regions of the CIS countries around the end of May. To form new shoots, lupine should be cut off flowering stems. Thanks to this procedure, the flowering of lupine will last until late autumn.

It should be noted that some varieties boast a large flower brush, the length of which can reach one meter. However, there are many varieties that are distinguished by wide short inflorescences. The color of flowers is the most diverse. In addition, varieties with a combination of two shades are also bred. The flower of this delightful plant consists of five graceful petals.

white lupine

White lupine is an annual plant that reaches a height of one meter. This species has a straight and slightly pubescent stem. Such a rhizomatous plant has palmate leaves on very long petioles. Large leaves are divided into five elements. Stem leaves are in regular order. Amazing white flowers are collected in thin straight inflorescences. The fruit is presented in the form of a small round bean. White lupine is native to the Mediterranean.

yellow lupine

Yellow lupine is an optional cross-cross. During the flowering of yellow lupine, the flowers are willingly visited by bees, completely pollinating the plant. Two or more varieties of plants are recommended to be planted at least half a kilometer apart. Otherwise, over-pollination will occur, which in turn will lead to an increase in the yield of seeds with low resistance to Fusarium, as well as increased alkaloid content. The beans of the yellow lupine do not crack. However, they can fall off with untimely cleaning.

Lupine as a green man

One-year-old lupine is considered the best green manure, because it accumulates the necessary biomass and accumulates a large number of nutrients. Lupine is able to significantly improve soil structure by enriching them with nitrogen. It is proved that in terms of the content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, this particular plant is superior to manure.

It is no coincidence that preference is given to blue lupine. Its several cultivars are characterized by high-speed growth, are able to develop a powerful root system, and are also insensitive to soil acidity and resistant to cold. Developed roots feed from the depth of the soil from about two meters, without impoverishing the soil itself. The depth of embedding the green mass of lupine directly depends on the humidity, looseness and type of soil, as well as on the state of the weather. by the most optimal application The biomass of such a plant is embedded to a depth of approximately 8 cm.

Lupine stern

It is fodder lupine that surpasses all popular cultivated crops from the leguminous family in terms of protein content. Often two types are grown. These include narrow-leaved and yellow. Yellow lupine is designed to obtain a significant amount of protein green mass. From the narrow-leaved lupine, an excellent feed grain is obtained.

Both types of such a plant prefer light loamy soils, requiring soils that are slightly acidic and close to neutral. Lupine does not respond well to an excess of calcium. Under such a capricious culture, advance liming should be carried out. Sowing of fodder lupine is carried out in early dates using a wide-row method with a row spacing of about 50 cm. This variety is practically not susceptible to damage by natural pests.

Lupine leaf

Delightfully beautiful large leaves palm-shaped make lupine bushes elegant and varied in color. The erect, rounded stem is covered with hairs and branches mainly only in the lower part. Palmate leaves consist of several leaf-like elements. They are located on pubescent and rather long petioles. On the upper side of the leaflets are covered with sparse hairs, while on the lower side there are thick hairs pressed against the plate.

Contraindications to the use of lupine

The only contraindication is individual intolerance to the product.

Expert editor: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna| Phytotherapeutist

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).

Lupins are flowering herbs from the legume family. The habitat covers the desert zones of both Americas, northern Africa and the Mediterranean coast. Best of all, flowers feel on rocky embankments or sands. The attitude of gardeners to lupine is ambiguous. It grows too actively and sometimes looks like a weed that requires constant control. At the same time, the plant is excellent green manure, fodder crop and even medicine. Its amazingly beautiful, large inflorescences, similar to fluffy candles, will decorate the flower bed and disguise the beds.

Botanical description

Lupine is an annual or perennial tall plant. Its name can be translated from Latin as "wolf". The height of the shoots during the flowering period reaches 1-1.5 m. The tap root can grow up to 2 m deep into the soil. It is covered with thickenings and shapeless tubers. They contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Upright shoots branched from the ground often form a slender bush.

Closer to the ground on the stems grow regular petiolate leaves of a complex palmate structure. At the junction of the petiole with the stem, long stipules are located, forming a small pillow. The sheet plate is monophonic, it is painted in bright green color.

The top of the stem is decorated with a long raceme, covered with whorls of moth flowers on short pedicels. The corolla in the form of a sail has white, blue, violet, pink colors. Also, on the same plant, inflorescences with a different shade of petals can be located. In the boat from the lower petals 10 stamens are hidden, their threads grow together at the base. Nearby is a sessile ovary with a capitate stigma.

Pollination is done by insects. After that, narrow leathery beans ripen, flattened on the sides. They are cream or light brown in color, and inside are several rounded or oblong seeds. Their color and size vary greatly depending on the variety.

Types and varieties of lupine

The genus of lupine is very diverse. It includes more than 600 plant species. Many of them are found only in wild nature, but among the cultivated forms, the choice is great.

This perennial is native to North America. It is frost tolerant and grows well in temperate climates. The height of straight, almost leafless stems is 0.8-1.2 m. Large palmate leaves on long petioles rise from the ground. From below, a bright green leaf plate is covered with pile. The inflorescence 30-35 cm long blooms in June and consists of blue-violet small odorless flowers.

Herbaceous plant 0.8-1.5 m high consists of erect, slightly pubescent stems, rarely covered with palmate leaves. The leaves are divided up to the petiole. There is also a short pile on their reverse side. At the top is a long racemose inflorescence with white, purple, blue, pink buds. Darker blue veins are visible on the surface of the petals, which is why the species is often called "blue lupine".

The plant forms a large shrub up to 1.5 m high. Its shoots branched from the base are covered with emerald palmate foliage. Silvery eyelashes grow thickly along its edges. The segments are bent along the central vein. White flowers with slight pink or blue tint grow in long inflorescences, arranged in a spiral.

A group of varieties bred at the beginning of the 20th century. breeder George Russell specifically for garden decoration. Inflorescences of plants are especially large (up to 45 cm in length). They exude gentle pleasant aroma. Among the most interesting varieties are:

• yellow flame;
• white flame;
• minaret (undersized with dense tassels);
• fireworks (two-color buds on shoots up to 120 cm in height).

Dense stable vegetation up to 120 cm high lives in North America, up to the Arctic Ocean. The base of the sprouts is covered with petiolate leaves with oval segments. At the top is a shorter, but dense brush with blue fragrant flowers.

Benefits in the economy

Periodically for garden plot plants should be planted that improve the quality of the soil (green manure). One of them is lupine. A developed root system develops rapidly and effectively loosens the soil. It makes it lighter, more permeable. At the same time, the roots hold together too light sandy soils, forming a fertile layer and protecting against erosion.

It is best to grow annual lupine as a green manure. Already in 2 months, it builds up a large green mass, which allows the plant to be used after harvest. As they grow, nitrogen-fixing bacteria saturate the soil nutrients, which, when decomposed, process worms and microorganisms. One sowing is similar to applying 200 kg/ha of nitrogen. Also, the resulting humus contributes to the uniformity of the earth. To enrich the soil, lupine is cut and dug over the site even at the stage of budding. The decomposition process with sufficient moisture is fast.

Lupine is propagated by seeds. Often, if the plant has already appeared on the site, then it will not have to be specially sown. Even with regular cutting of inflorescences, at least a few seeds still fall into the soil. However, varietal characteristics are split with each subsequent generation. The color of the petals will be dominated by blue and purple, so decorative varieties are grown from breeding seeds.

For growing seedlings in March-April, boxes with nutrient soil are prepared:

• peat (40%);
• sod land (40%);
• sand (20%).

Seeds should first be scarified, and then mixed with grated nodules. So they will be enriched with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and will develop faster. Then planting material evenly distributed to a depth of 2-3 cm. After 10-14 days shoots appear. When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, it is time to plant them in a permanent place. Later, the tap root will begin to bend, which will negatively affect growth.

To improve soil quality, lupine can be sown directly into open ground. Do this in late autumn or April. The grooves are preliminarily prepared at a distance of 15-30 cm from each other. Seeds are distributed in them with a distance of 5-15 cm. Plantings should also be treated with grated old nodules.

Outdoor care

The plot for the flower garden should be open and sunny. Soils are preferred sandy or loamy, with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. The earth must first be dug up. Add lime to too acidic soil dolomite flour, in too alkaline - peat. Seedlings are distributed in shallow pits with a distance of 30-50 cm.

Young plants at first will need regular weeding and loosening of the soil. They often suffer from weed dominance. Later, the bush will get stronger and the problem will disappear.

Lupine is a drought tolerant plant. If in the spring young seedlings still need regular watering, then later they become more hardy. It is necessary to water them only with a long absence of precipitation, when the soil cracks.

From the second year, the plants are fertilized once a year, in mid-spring. To do this, superphosphate and calcium chloride are scattered near the roots. The use of nitrogenous complexes is not necessary.

It is recommended that tall plants prepare a support so that the bush does not fall apart as it grows or from strong gusts of wind. When the inflorescences wither, they should be cut off immediately. So you can not only prevent uncontrolled self-seeding, but also stimulate re-blooming at the end of summer.

Perennial species must be hilled annually, as the rhizome rises and exposes the root collar. After 5-6 years, the decorativeness of the bush decreases and the flower bed is completely renewed.

Lupines are prone to fungal infections (rot, fusarium, mosaic, spotting, rust). Prevention is strict adherence to agricultural technology. Also you can't long time grow lupins and legumes on the plot. It is best to plant plants after growing cereals.

Dense inflorescences, similar to candles, make lupine a wonderful decoration of the site. It is planted in the center or in the middle tier of the flower garden, on rocky slopes, along the border or walls of buildings. Delphinium, phloxes, hostas, irises and lilies can become neighbors in the flower bed.

The fruits of lupine are able to saturate not only animals. From time immemorial, flour has been made from them in various countries, which was added to pastries, ice cream, confectionery, and hot dishes. The high content of protein and fats increases the nutritional value of such products.

In traditional medicine, an extract from the plant has become the basis of the Ixim Lupine preparation, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. A decoction of stems and leaves is used by folk healers to treat gangrene, ulcers and tumors.