Out and about photos, Adriana

[Ange]

Hi Adriana,

Just looking at the out and about photos. There is a photo of what looks like a blue Lupin. Is this a wild flower on Symi? I've seen the yellow wild Lupin and you can grow it here but I've never seen a blue one! (if it is a Lupin!)
I really like it and would like to try and grow it, if I could get hold of the seeds.

Do you know the Latin name so I can search for it online?

Thanks

Ange

[Anthony]

I think it's Lupinus pilosus - not listed in Blamey + Grey-Wilson Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean (which does list 3 other blue lupins), but it is shown in Vangelis Papiomitoglou's Wild Flowers of Greece. His illustration looks very similar to the plant shown on 'Out and About', and also to a photo that I took on Symi last year.

For more information, this looks like the best link:
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?22853

Adriana, you're the expert - do you agree? [img]http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/confused/confused0033.gif[/img]

[Adriana]

I know it as Lupinus hirsutus and it grows wild here on Symi, Ange.

They are flowering a bit earlier than usual this year as the weather stayed mild for longer than normal (with the result that a lot of things which would normally be dormant or only just coming up have been seriously nailed by the recent cold snap).

Lupinus hirsutus is much tougher than the garden hybrids and it is quite amazing to see the germinating seedlings punching through the crust at the start of the rainy season, when the ground is still quite hard. They grow about knee high including the flowers. Usually they flower at the same time as the poppies and the corona daisies in April and May, making a cheerful blue, red and yellow tapestry.

[Joanie]

Enjoyed the photos Adriana,looks like he had a good time there,and they all made him so welcome

[Ozzie Geoff]

Nice to see Amstel Beer on sale at Lefteris'
remember years ago "the" beer of the season used to change. Amstel, Heineken, that Italian stuff starting with "D" and now Mythos. As the boat came in you could tell what was "Beer de jour" by the umbrellas promoting it.
Anyone remember Fixx? I do and not very fondly..

[Kyriako]

I remember Fixx! The year was 1982 and the place was Kardamena on Kos.

[Kojak]

I rather liked Fix. I was sorry to see it go under to Heineken and Amstel

[Anthony]

[quote="Adriana"]

I know it as Lupinus hirsutus... [/quote]

I've done a bit of research on the Internet and it looks as though Lupinus pilosus and Lupinus hirsutus are probably different names for the same species.

http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb?sciname=Lupinus pilosus

[Anthony]

For some reason that link isn't coming out successfully. it needs to be
[/color][/u]

[Ange]

Thanks Adriana and Anthony. I'm going to look out for the seeds and give it a try this year. I love blue flowers and we have a part of the garden what is a semi tropical garden and it would fit in nicely!
I'd love to see all these flowers in bloom on Symi, when we have visited all the wild flowers are gone and only the imported and garden stuff is flowering.

I'll let you know how I get on with the plant.
Thanks
Ange

[Kon]

Looks like another beautiful day in Symi

[Richard]

Do be a bit careful about taking seeds home. It is not always a good idea and is illegal in many countries because of the risk of spreading diseases to countries that have no acquired immunity. Check first.

[Adriana]

It is better to order them from a specialist seed merchant so that you know that they come from a sustainable source rather than plundered from the wild.

[Ange]

Hi,
I'm not going anywhere to collect seeds in the wild! I wouldn't do that, the only things I take are photos!
I'm just looking through brochures and websites, to order some. I haven't managed to find any yet though I belong to a seed and plant swapping circle so someone somewhere in England may have some!
Ange