The wild lupine is one of May’s most precious joys. Unlike most of the rare wildflowers I seek out in the spring, the lupine doesn’t grow in the woods. It grows in open sunny areas, such as meadows and railroad right-of-ways. It used to flourish in prairies where fires periodically burned away competing plants and shady canopies. The lupine needs dry sandy soil. It likes the sort of habitat associated with Midwestern pine barrens and oak savannahs.
The lupine is the nurse plant for the Karner blue butterfly, which is an endangered species. The lupine is the only plant that the larvae of the butterfly will eat. Unfortunately, the plant is less abundant than it once was. To see this small stand of lupines in Michigan today was a marvelous treat.
sasha austin says
What beautiful flowers. I love purple because the second I look at it, I feel a rush of joy. It is a small rush, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.
Celia says
Even the stems of the lupine are purple. The plant also has beautiful leaves.
You would like the rare flower called the bottle gentian, which has deep bluish-purple buds. They are shaped something like a crocus but they never open. I believe the plant flowers only every other year.
sam dune says
A great picture of that rare flower, looks like you caught it looking very peaky !…………Plus your caption was most educational to read…………..I agree with Sasha, I so like seeing purple flowers as well.
Celia says
In the Midwest, flowers that are red are the rarest, I believe, followed by orange and purple/blue. White and yellow flowers are the most common.
Fortunately I found these lupines just when the sun was behind some clouds, which improved the photograph!
Thank you, Sam.
Celia
Celia says
PS My sister wrote in with this picture of a lupine-like flower that grows in Florida:
sam dune says
Yes, when I walk in the woods or along RR tracks, I rarely see a red wildflower. Right now, the only one that comes to my mind is the cardinal flower, which is brilliant red! But ever so rare! . . . Blue? Only the blue-eyed Mary comes to mind, and that flower is only half blue.