Lupins have been a popular plant as far back as Egyptian times. They were cultivated by the
Romans who used them for food ( the lupinus albus (Linn.) variety ) and have spread all over
the world. It is used in many European countries for fodder and fertiliser, though most species
have highly poisonous seeds. They can contain high volumes of toxic alkaloids.
There are over 200 hundred species in the genus Lupinus which includes annual, biennial
and perennial versions of the plant. The most common ancestor of the lupin genus is Lupinus
polyphyllus Lindl.
Lupins are leguminous and thus are extremely good at fixing nitrogen into the soil, in fact
they are one of the best legumes in this matter. The Lupin has a long spike of blue, purple, red,
orange, yellow and
white flowers. Most of the flowers are gradated versions of these colours and have bi-colour
variations. The leaves consist of many leaflets connected to a central point. Many of the species have
finely haired leaves.
All varieties grow well in good sunlight and in sandy/acidic soil and although they are
extensively cultivated, they are often found wild where it is warm enough for them to
survive.
Some of the more common annual species:
Lupinus bicolor : A short spiked version with blue/pink/white flowers.
Lupinus vallicola : A dwarf lupin with very dense blue and white flowers.
Lupinus albus : A white flowered European variety the seeds of which are edible .
Lupinus angustifolius : A variety with very thin leaflets which can be used as fodder due
to it's low alkaloid content. Blue flowered.
Lupinus polyphyllus Russell hybrids ( a perennial variety ) are good for gardens
which need a tall and perhaps colourful backdrop.
Lupins as a whole rarely breed true and this means that if you wish to keep a plant true then you must propagate it in isolated conditions .
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/l/lupins50.html
Annuals and Biennials, Roger Phillips et al, MacMillan, 1999