One lone lupine stands watch over the neighborhood intersection, eyes on the red stop sign. That bright red sign stands for something and it never wavers, never droops, and does not bow down, even on the windiest of days. The lupine thinks, “What power that red sign must have!”
Lupines are most fond of meadows and fields, parks and expanses of wildland. They like to stretch out, share the space and spread the blue. But this lupine, dear sweet thing, has planted itself on my street, and acts a sentinel to mindfulness and hope. Where one lupine is, more may come.
The faith and endurance of a weed is never in question. A weed always takes a chance. A weed never looks back. A weed always stands proudly. Lupines have been with us for eons. They must be doing something right. How much we can learn from this simple wonder of nature!
We and our weeds are so much more than what we first appear to be. Please come back again for a new “Weed Image of the Day” and let me know which ones you like. Even better, look down at the world that teems with life and meaning. It is right at your feet!
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My first thought was “Texas Bluebonnet”, which then took me on a short excursion across the pages of the internet, revealing that the Texas Bluebonnet is simply one strain of the Lupine flowering family introduced and cultivated in the early 1800’s by George Russell (1857-1951). The B. Landreth Seed Company Lupine information page tells me that Lupine was officially introduced to the Royal Horticultural Society in 1937. Their page also informed me that Lupine seeds must be scarified, (scratched by rock), in order to germinate, which is why they are often found near the mouth of drainage ditches, where both rocks and water are readily available.
Which doesn’t exactly explain how one ended up keeping watch over that red sign in your neighborhood. Nonetheless, it’s a beautiful weed, in a beautiful photo. And now I know a bit more about Lupine. 🙂
info found here: https://www.landrethseeds.com/howtogrow/Lupine/
Thank you NTexas! I also think of Texas Blue Bonnets when I see a lupine, but since there are so many varieties, and I don’t live in Texas, I do prefer the Lupine label. I’ve just learned that many lupines do not tolerate heat well, except for the Texas Bluebonnet variety. So, maybe I have a bit of Texas on my street after all!I also learned that some varieties have edible seeds, which may rival the nutritional properties of soybeans, special preparation is necessary. See more heer: http://www.lupins.org/lupins/
Wow. That was a lot of “Lupins” information! Love it that the New World species for the Texas Bluebonnet is L.texensis Hook. Also love that various Lupine species have been around since ancient Egyptian times, and can be found all over the globe, with Australia, France, Chile, and the Soviet Union being just some of the places it is known to grow as a native species. South Africa, USA, Canada, New South Wales, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Morocco are also on the list. Love a simple weed that can touch so many diverse cultures. One weed; lots of history. 🙂