In Chile, springtime brings the blooming of many flowering plants. One such is the Lupine which flourishes in the arid, rocky soils along road sides and river beds.
During the months of December and January, as far as the eye can see, the landscape is painted in colors of purple, pink and blue.
The plant, which is a member of the pea family, received its name from Lupinus, meaning wolf, because it ravages the land wherever it grows.
Early Egyptian and pre-Incan civilizations dating back thousands of years were found to have used Lupines as a food source.
Lupine hybrids are popular ornamental plants but they also have the ability to take nitrogen from the air and create ammonia in their roots, which naturally fertilizes the arid soil in which the Lupines thrive. For this reason some farmers plant Lupines to help rejuvenate the soil. Today, Chile has the world’s fastest growing commercial production of Lupines.
Regardless, they make a beautiful backdrop for a fishing trip.
[…] Aisen is formed. In early summer, as far as the eye can see, this valley is filled with blooming lupines, which make for a spectacular […]