Lupinus mutabilis
Pearl Lupin
an annual member of the Lupinus genus in the family Leguminosae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Leguminosae
- Genus
- Lupinus
- Life cycle
- annual
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Spread
- 0.25 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The seed of many lupin species contain bitter-tasting toxic alkaloids, though there are often sweet varieties within that species that are completely wholesome[12][13]. 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[12].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - cooked[3]. Used as a protein-rich vegetable or savoury dish in any of the ways that cooked beans are used. The seed can also be ground into a meal and then used with cereal flours in making bread etc[7]. The seed contains up to 50% protein that is rich in lysine and cystine but very low in methionine[6][7]. If the seed is bitter this is due to the presence of toxic alkaloids, these alkaloids can usually be removed by soaking the seed overnight and discarding the water[8]. Another report suggests that the seed needs to be soaked for 2 - 3 days in order to leech out the alkaloids[6]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[3][6]. It is relatively rich in unsaturated fatty acids, including the nutritionally essential linoleic acid[7].
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Seed
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed yields up to 18% of an edible oil with uses similar to Soya oil (Glycine soya)[3][5]. Soya oil has a very wide range of applications and is commonly used in the chemical industry[4][9]. It is also used in making soap, plastics, paints etc[10][11][2]. An excellent green manure crop, it is able to fix as much as 400kg of atmospheric nitrogen per hectare[7].
- Product or use
- Oil
Ecology and functions
Environment
- Range
- S. America - Colombia.
- Habitat
- Found in the Andes[5].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Tolerances
- high wind, drought
- Wind
- Yes
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An easily grown plant, succeeding in any moderately good soil in a sunny position[8]. Requires an acid to neutral soil[8]. This species might be intolerant of lime[1]. Succeeds on poor soils, its taproot breaking up the sub-soil[7]. Once established, it is a very drought tolerant plant[7]. Mature plants tolerate frost[7]. This has not been our experience, although they tolerate light frosts, the plants are killed by heavy or prolonged frosts[K]. The pearl lupin is cultivated in Tropical and Sub-tropical zones for its edible seed, there are many named varieties. The seed of most forms contains bitter alkaloids that need to be leached out before the seed can be eaten, however there are some forms that have sweet alkaloid-free seeds[3]. This species has excellent potential as a food crop in temperate zones. It is day-length neutral, flowering and fruiting well at most latitudes[7]. The plants flower and ripen seed continuously until killed by cold weather, making mechanical harvesting difficult[7]. Plants take from 5 - 11 months to fully ripen their crop[7]. The genes for low-alkaloid types are recessive so they have to be grown separated from other forms if the strains are to be kept pure[7]. It is also probable that plants will hybridize with other species in this genus[7]. 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[8]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218
Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820
Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Popenoe. H. et al Lost Crops of the Incas National Academy Press 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-309-04264-X
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4
Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394
Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291