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Re: New Zealand lupine

nancy@lighthousenet.com wrote:
> 
> Hello from Santa Cruz, California-
> 
> Has anyone ever heard of a New Zealand lupine?
> and/or
> Know where I can get seeds or plants?
> 
> I had not heard of this plant and was not given the botanic name for this
> request from a friend, so I have no idea where to look. She says they have
> huge flower spikes.
> 
> Thanks in advance. I do appreciate your help.

-Nancy, 
There are no native lupins in New Zealand.  In fact, apart from high
alpines,  indigenous  wildflowers as you would know them are few and far
between, largely due to the fact that before it was inhabited by man
almost the whole country was covered by forest, and so native herbaceous
and annual species occured almost entirely on the higher mountains and
such limited open habitats as rocky cliffs. We do have quite a lot of
wildflowers in cultivated areas now, but vitually all are introduced
species, mainly from Europe or South Africa, some of which came in as
weeds with imported plants and others which are garden escapes.

Many many years ago someone became tired of the miles of rather
dull-looking grasslands along the roads in the central South Island and
apparently decided to brighten the scene by broadcasting seeds of the
then popular Russell strain of perennial lupin from Britain. This proved
a highly successful move as far as the lupins were concerned and the
roads for miles in that area are bordered with lupins to this day. Not
only have they survived, but they have flourished exceedingly and bred
themselves into a bewildering variety of colours and bicolours so that
the patches are often quite beautiful. Curiously, I have heard  the
Russell stran of lupins has virtually died out in Europe. Perhaps they
shopuld come here for new blood.

As long as they stick to the roadsides even the conservationists are
quite happy to see them brightening the scene. Unfortunately, they have
also vigorously invaded the shingle banks on local rivers and are
interfering with the nesting of rare native birds, not only covering up
the ground they want to use, but providing hiding places for (also
introduced) predators, which puts the survival of the birds at
considerable risk. So, both a blessing and a curse, as it were.

Anyway, you friend's large handsome New Zealand lupin is actually
nothing of the sort, but just a rather successful garden escape.

Moira

Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Both Retired. Careers were: Moira - botanist/horticulturist; 
Tony - Various jobs, then computer programmer.
Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
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