Lupin

Lupin

Lupin, Lupinus, gets its name from the Latin word for wolf (Lupus) because it was once thought that lupins "wolfed" nutrients from the soil. In fact these plants do just the reverse. They are able to "fix" nitrogen from the air and convert it into nitrates which other plants can then use from the soil. The Wolf Bean Lupinus alba is grown as a winter cover to enrich the soil for the following year's crops. [CH] {OX}