Many of the lupines, probably most, that we see driving along the roadsides in New England are not natives. We do have one, the Sundial Lupine (Lupinus perennis), that is rare and disappearing. I mentioned the other day that I was fortunate to get invited to a private property by some new Facebook friends where they had reestablished a large plot with seeds from the wild plants. It was quite nice to be able to spend some time with Brian and shoot his Lupines.
This species likes a sandy well-drained soil, so the seed were sown in a very sandy raised area. Walking in there was a challenge because every step had to avoid the newest seedlings. But there were open spots to set up.
I was standing in the center of the plot which is mostly pea-sized gravel and sand. Later in the season it will be even more treacherous to walk there as the pond located a few feet away is home to Eastern Painted Turtles who come up there to lay their eggs. No walking allowed after that, I am sure.
I made several closer shots…surprise!…and here is the one that I chose as the best.
Brian invited me back later in the season to photograph a purple fringed orchis. Here is one from a visit to Maine a few years back. You can see why I am excited about a return visit…they are nice folks to visit with too.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Beautiful. And, it is good to have friends like that.
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The plant is listed as a very rare species only in the paleozoic plateau of the northeast corner. http://uipress.lib.uiowa.edu/vpi/IowaFlora.aspx
I am not likely to see it until I venture up there again.
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I just learned something. I always thought of Iowa as being more flat. Obviously, I was quite mistaken.
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Yes. People have many misconceptions about Iowa. Very little of it is flat. It is gently rolling over most of the state.
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Brian was very welcoming. I am looking forward to a return trip later this summer.
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Wonderful images Stephen what a great find as well !!
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Thanks, Bernie. I wanted to be sure to do them justice. Such lovely flowers.
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I do so like Lupines, they remind me of walks through the meadows in the Cascades…They seem so fearless in their desire to survive the harsh winters.
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I think we can see that trait in all plants of the harsher climes.
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I pine, you pine, we all pine for lupines — and yours is gorgeous. Our bluebonnet, Lupinus texensis is a great flower, but this one is equally lovely. You captured it well.
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Ah, you just reminded me of my grandfather…the first person I ever heard utter that sing-songy ice cream chant. Where’s a Good Humor driver when you need one.
I think we may be able to say that of all Lupinus species…so lovely. Thanks, Linda.
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I’m impressed with restoration efforts of Brian. It’s great the he has connected with you. I wish more folks would do as he is- making efforts to save an endangered species. I like how the plant spreads.Very showy. I don’t believe the Texas bluebonnet grows quite that nice. Your photo is gorgeous.
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I am impressed also, Yvonne. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Each seed gets scarified before planting and, as you can tell with just this small portion, there were a lot of seeds. Each year they add more.
Thanks!
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Excellent pictures, of course. Your comment about the rarity of this lupine made me think it grows only up in your neck of the woods, so to speak, but I was surprised when looking at the USDA map to find that the species arcs down the Atlantic states and even makes it, just barely, to far eastern Texas.
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The information I had about rarity is aimed at the plants of New England. But even in other locations it is not abundant
.
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Oops. I didn’t check the URL and in clicking the “Legal Status” tab expected a different URL.
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Thanks for the clarification.
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There are populations here, too, at Illinois Beach State Park but scattered in among the black oaks. I am very impressed that your friends were able to establish this wonderful large stand of them! How exciting. Aren’t they glorious, and your photos really do them proud. Absolutely stunning.
At IBSP we once had a remnant population of Karner Blue butterflies. In fact there is a sub-species called Melissa Blue and that is what I named my company 🙂 Do they occur in your friend’s field? That would really be cool as they desperately need help to keep from going extinct.
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Ah, an answer to my unasked question…Why Melissabluefineart? I didn’t think it was from a particular artistic period of yours. 🙂
I don’t know if they see any Karners or not. I’ll have to ask.
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Our last Karners were taken some 20 years ago by a couple of collectors. They got in a lot of hot water but it was also pointed out that if the 10 or so that they killed were the last of the population, it would likely not have survived anyway. Still.
I identify with the butterflies because they are blue and they like mud 🙂
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I checked with Brian and they do not see Karners. He told me that there are two very carefully monitored colonies…one in NH and one in NY.
I am not a fan of insect collecting (or wildflower collecting for that matter) although I do understand those who feel the opposite. One never knows what might develop from 10 butterflies or any other species unless you have all of one gender.
However, this guy-I am not a fan.
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Oh, no! I hadn’t heard about him~that is awful.
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Oh, he’ll tell you that it is for the good of the insects. By paying indigenous peoples to collect them, they feel the need to preserve the land rather than deforest and therefore save the populations greater numbers. Seems more like rationalization and a B.S. line but some people support him.
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