Yellow lupin

Yellow lupin - Photo by Cliff Hutson

Yellow lupin is often found growing as a wild plant in Mediterranean region. It is sometimes grown as a green manure. In the past, seeds were a common food in some Mediterranean countries, but nowadays they are just used as a pickled snack food.

Names

Scientific
   Lupinus luteus
English
   Annual yellow lupin
   European yellow lupine
   Yellow lupin
Dutch
   Gele lupine
Spanish
   Altramuz amarillo
French
   Lupin jaune
German
   Gelbe Lupine
Italian
   Lupino giallo

Taxonomy

Genus
   Lupinus
Family
   Fabaceae
Order
   Fabales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

Mediterranean region of Southern Europe.

Distribution:

Europe, Western Australia, South Africa

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

It’s an annual plant

Flowers:

A raceme with yellow flowers

Leaves:

hand-shaped leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets. Leaflets are 4 to 6 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide.

Fruits:

Pods with yellow seeds, which are known as lupin beans.

Climate and weather:

Mediterranean and temperate climate

Height:

Plans are 30 to 60 cm tall

Propagation:

By seed

Uses:

Can be grown as a green manure. Seeds used to be used as food, but are now mainly used as snacks.

Crop categories

Food crops
Green manures
Legumes
Subtropical crops
Temperate crops

Pictures