The lupine Labyrinth
Lupine Easily the most recognizable of the “spike” flowers, lupines are an incredibly popular wildflower for planting in both home gardens and in fields. Reaching up to 4 feet in height, the colorful spikes of the lupine can include blues, whites, yellows, pinks, and purples. When you sow lupine seeds across a space with full sun and average to rich soil, you’ll be treated with a unique addition to your property that also benefits your garden by fixing nitrogen in the soil.
Design of the lupine labyrinth
Being creative with labyrinths, we decided to use lupines to have a play of color and texture as you walk through our laboring design to create a moment of wonder and beauty and emerge completely in the beautiful world that surrounds us. Hopefully after your meditative labyrinth walk, you'll see the world in a new light!
Folklore and history
Attracts beneficial pollinators to the garden, including bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Deer resistant.
Easy to grow from seed and will readily self-sow, which often compensates for their short lifespan.
Like other members of the pea family, lupine can improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in the air and making it usable by other plants.
aRE LUPINES EDIBLE?
The plant naturally has toxins in it. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested.
Difficult if not impossible to transplant because of deep taproots that resent being disturbed once established.
Often wither or are short-lived in areas with hot, humid summers.
But yes, some lupins are edible for humans.
Lupins are a good source of protein and fiber, and can be used in many dishes.
Edible lupins
Sweet white lupin: A high-yield, nutritious crop that can be used as a protein source for humans and animals
Lupinus albus: A legume that contains protein, fiber, and bioactive compounds that may help prevent disease
Sweet lupins: A nutritious variety that contains all essential amino acids
Folklore and history
Lupine was cultivated as food by the Romans who spread them across the Roman Empire, and many other ancient civilisations. Pliny the Elder, Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, said, "'No kind of fodder is more wholesome and light of digestion than the White Lupine, when eaten dry. If taken commonly at meals, it will contribute a fresh colour and a cheerful countenance."
In North and South America native tribes ate Lupine beans as a nutrient rich food. They would first soak them them in salt water to make them edible. The Andean Lupine or tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) was a widespread food in the Incan Empire.
In Northern Europe the Lupine was introduced as a means of improving soil quality, and by the 1860s, the garden yellow lupin was seen across the sandy soils of the Baltic coastal plain. According to the herbalist Culpeper, "The seeds, somewhat bitter in taste, opening and cleansing, are good to destroy worms. Outwardly they are used against deformities of the skin, scabby ulcers, scald heads, and other cutaneous distempers."
Traditional use
With a history stretching back over 2,000 years, Lupines were cultivated by the early Egyptian and pre-Incan civilizations. They were also promoted by the Roman agriculturists for their role in soil fertility.
These protein and fibre-rich beans were a staple in the diets of many early civilizations, especially in the Mediterranean, and were used as fodder for livestock.
High in Protein
Proteins are the main building blocks of the body used to make muscles, tendons, organs and skin. They are also used to make enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and various tiny molecules that serve various functions – without protein our bodies would biochemically dismantle. Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins, when proteins are digested and broken down amino acids are left. The human body uses amino acids to make proteins to assist the body to grow, break down food and repair bodily tissue.
A 30 gram serving of Lupine beans provides around 10 grams of high quality plant-based protein. This little-known superfood provides all of the essential amino acids in highly bio-available form.
The “Journal of Nutrition” published a 1992 study which compared the bioavailability of Lupine to that of egg protein. The results showed that the human body utilised Lupine protein at about 80 percent the rate of egg protein. The study was conducted on young adult males and absorption was evaluated using the nitrogen balance technique.1
Diabeties
Lupine seeds have been found to contain the glycoprotein gamma-conglutin which can effectively cross the intestinal barrier and provide anti-diabetic, glucose reducing effects. Studies have shown that it appears to influence the genes related to glucose metabolism.24
Australia’s Curtin University has been researching Lupine seeds to regulate blood sugar levels. The research has shown that an extract of the seed could be used to stimulate insulin secretion in cells. Professor Philip Newsholme, leader of the research team said, “Although the research is in its early stages, Lupine extract could be put into a drink or yoghurt-based product which would be taken just before a meal. This would lower the peak blood glucose levels which occur after a normal meal and it is this peak in blood glucose is particularly dangerous to people with pre-diabetes or diabetes.”3
Heart Health
Lupine protein extracts have been shown to reduce the development of atherosclerotic plaques in coronary blood vessels and have been shown to correct vascular endothelium dysfunction. This helps to relax the blood vessels which in turn will help to lower high blood pressure (hypertension), which is known to contribute to heart attacks and strokes.5
Lupine beans are also high in many heart-healthy minerals such as magnesium, potassium and iron and antioxidants that protect the heart from damage.