Nootka Lupine
Lupinus nootkatensis
APPEARANCE
The leaves of the Nootka lupine are in groups of up to eight small leaflets, and the plants grow to one metre tall. The flowers are blue with pink and white tinges that grow clustered in tall spikes. In Rome, lupine seeds were used as money in theatrical productions.
RANGE & HABITAT
The Nootka lupine lives in open habitats like gravel bars, meadows, marshes, and slopes.
LIFE CYCLE
Nootka lupine flowers turn into long thin pea pods, about six centimetres long, with large hard seeds in them.
ANIMAL USES
Bears love to eat the roots of Nootka lupine. Some butterflies feed off the lupine and lay their eggs on its leaves.
TRADITIONAL USES BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The roots are roasted or pit-cooked. Only folks with special knowledge of the preparation techniques can prepare the seeds.
OTHER USES
Often grown as an ornamental in gardens and parks. Lupine seeds are poisonous and can be fatal if ingested.
STATUS
COSEWIC: Not at Risk
CDC: Yellow