European blue lupine (Lupinus angustifolius, Sp. Pl.: 721 (1753))

Family: Fabaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 721 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Lupinus

Vegetable: Unknown

Observations: Medit.

Description

The European blue lupine, known scientifically as Lupinus angustifolius, is an exquisite and versatile member of the Fabaceae family. This flowering plant, commonly found in the Mediterranean regions, was first documented in 1753 in the seminal work “Species Plantarum” by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus.

Lupinus angustifolius is renowned for its vibrant blue flowers, which add a splash of color to any landscape. The plant’s narrow leaves, from which its scientific name derives (‘angustifolius’ meaning ‘narrow leaf’), are another distinguishing feature, contributing to its delicate yet striking appearance.

Thriving in Mediterranean climates, the European blue lupine flourishes in sandy and well-drained soils, often populating fields and open spaces where it forms part of the natural flora. It is a hardy species that thrives in areas with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, reflecting its adaptability to various environmental conditions.

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the European blue lupine plays a significant role in agriculture and ecology. It is used as a cover crop to improve soil fertility, thanks to its ability to fix nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with root-nodulating bacteria. This nitrogen-fixing property enriches the soil, making it more fertile for subsequent crops and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

Additionally, the plant has been utilized for its seeds, which are rich in protein and have been used historically as animal fodder. Modern agronomic research is exploring the potential of these seeds for human consumption, given their high nutritional value.

In summary, the European blue lupine, Lupinus angustifolius, is not only a visually stunning plant but also a valuable contributor to agricultural sustainability and soil health. Its enduring adaptability and multifunctional benefits make it an important species within the Mediterranean ecosystem and beyond.

Common Names

Deu: blau-lupine, blaue lupine, schmalblättrige lupine
Eng: european blue lupine, narrow-leaved lupin, narrowleaf lupine, new zealand blue lupin, altramuz azul, blue lupine, narrow-leaf lupin, sweet lupinseed, blue lupin, narrow-leaved lupine, european blue lupin
Dan: smalbladet lupin
Spa: altramuz azul
Swe: blålupin, fingerlupin, smallupin
Hun: keskenylevelű csillagfürt
Cat: llobí bord
Fra: lupin petit bleu, lupin à feuilles étroites, lupin à folioles étroites
Ces: lupina úzkolistá
Ita: lupino azzurro
Por: tremoçeiro-azul, tremoço-azul
Lav: šaurlapu lupīna
Nld: blauwe lupine
Cym: bysedd-y-blaidd culddail
En: European blue lupine, New Zealand blue lupin, Blue lupine, Narrow-leaf lupin, Sweet lupinseed, Narrowleaf lupine, Blue Lupin, New Zealand Blue Lupine, Narrow-leaved Lupin, Altramuz azul, Narrow-leaved lupine, European Blue Lupin, Narrow-leaved blue lupine, Lupin, Lupine
Ar: ترمس ضيق الأوراق
Az: Ensizyarpaq acıpaxla
Be: Лубін вузкалісты
Bg: Теснолистна лупина
Ca: Llobí bord
Zh: 狭叶羽扇豆
Cs: Vlčí Bob Úzkolistý, Lupina úzkolistá
Da: Smallbladet lupin, Smalbladet lupin
Nl: Blauwe lupine
Fi: Sinilupiini
Fr: Lupin à feuilles étroites, Lupin petit bleu, Lupin à folioles étroites, Lupin bleu, Lupin de Cosentino, Lupin de Cosentini, Lupin réticulé, Lupin A Feuilles Etroites
De: Schmalblättrige Lupine, Blaue Lupine, Blau-Lupine
He: תורמוס צר עלים, תורמוס צר-עלים
Hu: Kék Csillafürt, Keskenylevelü Csillagfürt, Keskenylevelű csillagfürt
Is: Lensulúpína
It: Lupino azzurro, Lupino selvatico
Lv: Šaurlapu lupīna
Nv: Azeediilchʼílii
No: Smallupin
Pl: Łubin Waskolistny, Łubin wąskolistny
Pt: Tremoçeiro-azul, Tremoceiro-de-folhas-estreitas, Tremoço-azul, Tremoceiro
Ru: Lûpin Uzkolistnyj, Люпин узколистный
Sk: Lupina úzkolistá
Es: Altramuz azul, Altramuz silvestre, Lupino azul
Sv: Fingerlupin, Blålupin, Smallupin
Zh-tw: 狹葉羽扇豆
Tr: Mavi aci bakla
Uk: Люпин вузьколистий
Cy: Bysedd-y-blaidd culddail

Synonyms

• Lupinus sylvestris (Lam.)
• Lupinus reticulatus subsp. linifolius ((Roth) Nyman)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. zhukovskii (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. lilacinus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. chalybeus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus maissurianii (Atabek. & Polukhina)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. kuptzovii (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. brunneus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. epigonalus (Taran. & Buschueva ex Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus cryptanthus (Shuttlew.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. violaceus (Kuptzov & Kurl.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. purpureus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. atabekovae (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. rubidus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus linifolius (Roth)
• Lupinus semiverticillatus (Desr.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. viridulus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus varius (L.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. albosyringeus (Taran. ex Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subsp. cryptanthus ((Shuttlew.) P.Fourn.)
• Lupinus philistaeus (Boiss.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. albopunctatus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subsp. brachystachys (Batt. & Trab.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. linifolius ((Roth) Batt.)
• Lupinus canaliculatus (Sweet)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. confertus (Kloczko & Kurl.)
• Lupinus reticulatus (Desv.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. corylinus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. deramosus (Taran. & Buschueva ex Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. polonicus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. belorussicus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. albidus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. rhodanthus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. sparsiusculus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. virescens (Kuptzov & Kurl.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. maissurianii (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subsp. reticulatus ((Desv.) Arcang.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. rubidus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. albosyringeus (Taran. ex Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subsp. leucospermus ((Boiss. & Reut.) Cout.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. candidus (Kuptzov & Kurl.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subvar. candidus (Kuptzov & Kurl.)
• Lupinus leucospermus (Boiss.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. griseomaculatatus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius f. kloczkovii (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius subsp. linifolius ((Roth) Batt. & Trab.)
• Lupinus opsianthus (Amabekova & Maisuran)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. reticulatus ((Desv.) Rouy)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. purpureus (Kurl. & Stank.)
• Lupinus angustifolius var. cryptanthus ((Shuttlew.) Fiori & Paol.)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Corse (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• Egypt (native)
• France (native)
• Greece (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Libya (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Spain (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Algeria (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Austria (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Baltic States (introduced)
• Belarus (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Central European Rus (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Czechoslovakia (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• East European Russia (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Hungary (introduced)
• India (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Kirgizstan (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Mongolia (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• North European Russi (introduced)
• Northwest European R (introduced)
• Poland (introduced)
• Queensland (introduced)
• Romania (introduced)
• Rwanda (introduced)
• South European Russi (introduced)
• Switzerland (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Transcaucasus (introduced)
• Ukraine (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Victoria (introduced)
• Western Australia (introduced)
• Yugoslavia (introduced)

Additional Images

Bark

Taken Aug 15, 2016 by brahim (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 15, 2005 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)

Taken May 13, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Jacques Houdré (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 1, 2022 by Sebastian Chrostek (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2021 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Mar 18, 2019 by ayisk (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 7, 2021 by beurny (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 12, 2022 by Emeline (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 12, 2022 by Emeline (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2021 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Apr 7, 2021 by beurny (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 20, 2019 by Jorge (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 20, 2019 by Jorge (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 20, 2019 by Jorge (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 19, 2019 by Pili Royo (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken May 18, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Marie-France PETIBON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 3, 2020 by Joël Mathieu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 17, 2021 by padrós toni (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 6, 2019 by Jean-Christophe Lombardo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 7, 2021 by beurny (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Apr 13, 2021 by Julio VILLAR (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 26, 2020 by manuseitz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 30, 2021 by Marc Marc (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 16, 2021 by Bernardini Stefano (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 2021 by mar sea (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken May 7, 2005 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 7, 2005 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 9, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 25, 1999 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 28, 2020 by densalat judit (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Lupinus angustifolius L.)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2964025)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:504124-1)

Specifications

Growth