Biodiversity lexicon: L for lupine

Lupines (Lupinus) are an eye-catcher: colourful, beautiful to look at and therefore always to be seen around golf courses. Lupines have a remarkable lotus effect: Their finely hairy leaves collect water droplets, but at the same time store them in such a way that the leaves do not bend over – an adaptation that preserves the plant structure when it rains. However, these robust butterfly flowers, which can also be seen as ornamental plants or wild plants in home gardens or in the wild, are a plant that experts view with mixed feelings, because on the one hand they have a positive ecological significance, but on the other hand they are also considered an invasive species in Switzerland and Germany, for example.

Lupines play a key role as nitrogen collectors: in symbiosis with nodule bacteria (e.g. Rhizobium), they convert nitrogen from the air in their roots and accumulate it in the soil – a significant benefit both for the lupine itself and for neighboring plant species. As pioneer plants, they often colonise disturbed or nutrient-poor sites – such as embankments, clearings or ground along paths – and thus promote succession, i.e. the natural development of vegetation structures.