The Florida Scrub Lupine
Photo credit: FFWCC/Brad Kolhoff

The Endangered Plants of Florida

The Scrub Lupine
Lupinus aridorum

Florida, La Florida, as it was named by Spanish explorer

Ponce De Leon, in the early 1500's, means Land of the Flowers.

We certainly do attempt to live up to the name!

The Scrub Lupine was put on the Federal Endangered Species List in 1987.

It is the only upright pink flowering lupine in the state of Florida.

The Flower colors go from pale pink to light purple.

This is a somewhat small plant growing up to about 3 feet.

The plant flowers and bears fruit in June.

A distinctive feature of the plant are its furry leaves and stems.

Florida Scrub Lupine
Photo credit: FWS

Lupins are from the genus lupinus or legume or pea family.

After the plant flowers, pods appear resembling small peas.

Lupine

The name lupin means comes from the Latin lupinus meaning wolf,

as the plant tended to ravage the lands were it grew and the wolf

was about the only animal that could eat the pods/seeds of the plant.

Some varieties of Lupin are quite toxic, while some of the less toxic varieties

were used by Native Americans.

This very Endangered Florida Plant is found in sand pine scrub

in Orange, Osceola and Polk counties.

(And perhaps in Lake County)

For comparison, this plant is to the plant kingdom

what the Florida Panther is to the animals, as they are both

extremely Endangered and on the brink of extinction.

Not positive, but think that this is growing on our property

and that our resident Gopher Tortoise is very fond of it.

Since both are Endangered in Florida, it's a good thing!

Our Florida Gopher Tortoise

We do not ever put any chemicals or toxins down,

so Harriet happily eats her way from one end to the other.

Best of all, we have no fear of any harm coming to her from pesticides.

We don't use any.

There are over 55 Endangered or Threatened plants in Florida,

and they are all conveniently listed here:

Florida's Federally Listed Plant Species

Places to learn more:

Floridata

Endangered Plants of the Florida Scrub

Florida Endangered Plants List

FFWS

Scrub Lupine

Scrub Lupine - PDF

Florida Native Plant Society

Ecosystems of Florida

Native Orchid Blog

Planting the Scrub Lupine

News Chief

Endangered Lupines Bloom at Bok

NPWRC

Central Florida Scrub Plants

SFWMD Newsletter

Greater Everglades

The Ledger

Scrub Lupine in Recovery

The Scrub Lupine Project

UF
50 Common Native Plants

USDA
Plant Profiles

Walking with the Alligators

Write to Gator Woman

gatorwoman3 at centurylink.net