Lupine Seed Adaptation

Soil

• Lupine plants help infertile soil to become fertile by fixing airborne nitrogen in the soil. This ability to amend the soil allows lupine seeds to grow in nearly any type of soil.

Dispersal

• The fruits of lupine plants resemble pea pods. They are flattened and hairy, and contain two to 12 seeds in each pod. The pods dry to an extremely brittle state. When disturbed by wind or animals, the pods burst open, sending the seeds flying in all directions.

Germination

• The fall and winter freeze and thaw cycle works the lupine seeds into the soil. Lupine seeds are adapted to grow with only 1/8 inch of soil to cover them. Once the spring weather reaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit, lupine seeds take only 15 days to sprout.