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Lupinus mutabilis - Sweet.

Common Name Pearl Lupin, Tarwi
Family Fabaceae or Leguminosae
USDA hardiness 8-11
Known Hazards The seed of many lupin species contain bitter-tasting toxic alkaloids, though there are often sweet varieties within that species that are completely wholesome[65, 76]. Taste is a very clear indicator. These toxic alkaloids can be leeched out of the seed by soaking it overnight and discarding the soak water. It may also be necessary to change the water once during cooking. Fungal toxins also readily invade the crushed seed and can cause chronic illness[65].
Habitats Found in the Andes[177].
Range S. America - Colombia.
Edibility Rating    (5 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Half Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Lupinus mutabilis Pearl Lupin, Tarwi


Lupinus mutabilis Pearl Lupin, Tarwi

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Lupinus mutabilis is a ANNUAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf from May to October, in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Oil  Oil  Seed
Edible Uses: Oil  Oil

Seed - cooked[141]. Used as a protein-rich vegetable or savoury dish in any of the ways that cooked beans are used. The seed can also be ground into a meal and then used with cereal flours in making bread etc[196]. The seed contains up to 50% protein that is rich in lysine and cystine but very low in methionine[183, 196]. If the seed is bitter this is due to the presence of toxic alkaloids, these alkaloids can usually be removed by soaking the seed overnight and discarding the water[200]. Another report suggests that the seed needs to be soaked for 2 - 3 days in order to leech out the alkaloids[183]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[141, 183]. It is relatively rich in unsaturated fatty acids, including the nutritionally essential linoleic acid[196].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Green manure  Oil  Oil

Seed yields up to 18% of an edible oil with uses similar to Soya oil (Glycine soya)[141, 177]. Soya oil has a very wide range of applications and is commonly used in the chemical industry[171, 206]. It is also used in making soap, plastics, paints etc[34, 46, 100]. An excellent green manure crop, it is able to fix as much as 400kg of atmospheric nitrogen per hectare[196].

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator  Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, succeeding in any moderately good soil in a sunny position[200]. Requires an acid to neutral soil[200]. This species might be intolerant of lime[1]. Succeeds on poor soils, its taproot breaking up the sub-soil[196]. Once established, it is a very drought tolerant plant[196]. Mature plants tolerate frost[196]. This has not been our experience, although they tolerate light frosts, the plants are killed by heavy or prolonged frosts[K]. The pearl lupin is cultivated in Tropical and Sub-tropical zones for its edible seed, there are many named varieties. The seed of most forms contains bitter alkaloids that need to be leached out before the seed can be eaten, however there are some forms that have sweet alkaloid-free seeds[141]. This species has excellent potential as a food crop in temperate zones. It is day-length neutral, flowering and fruiting well at most latitudes[196]. The plants flower and ripen seed continuously until killed by cold weather, making mechanical harvesting difficult[196]. Plants take from 5 - 11 months to fully ripen their crop[196]. The genes for low-alkaloid types are recessive so they have to be grown separated from other forms if the strains are to be kept pure[196]. It is also probable that plants will hybridize with other species in this genus[196]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in mid spring in situ[1, 200]. You may need to protect the seed from mice. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. The seed can also be sown in situ as late as early summer as a green manure crop.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

Coming Soon

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Lupinus albusWhite LupinAnnual1.2 0-0  LMNM414
Lupinus albus graecus Annual1.0 0-0  LMHNDM403
Lupinus angustifoliusBlue Lupin, Narrowleaf lupineAnnual1.0 7-9  LMNM404
Lupinus arboreusTree Lupin, Yellow bush lupineShrub1.5 7-10 FLMNDM005
Lupinus hirsutus Annual0.0 0-0  LMHNM203
Lupinus littoralisSeashore LupinePerennial0.5 6-9  LMHNM203
Lupinus luteusYellow Lupin, European yellow lupineAnnual0.6 5-9  LMNM303
Lupinus nootkatensisBlue Lupine, Nootka lupinePerennial0.7 4-8  LMHNM303
Lupinus perennisSundial LupinePerennial0.6 4-8  LMNDM313
Lupinus polyphyllusBig-Leaf Lupin, LupinePerennial1.5 5-9 MLMHNM114
Lupinus tauris Shrub0.0 0-0  LMNDM003
Lupinus termisWhite LupinAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHNM203

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Sweet.

Botanical References

200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Brian Cady   Mon Mar 28 21:12:31 2005

Link: Lost Crops of the Andes: Tarwi Chapter

Brian Cady   Tue Feb 22 05:20:18 2005

Link: From the Andes; First Potato,Then Quinoa, Now Tarwi? Article printed in _The Natural Farmer_, Fall, 2004

Brian Cady   Mon Mar 28 21:18:49 2005

Book title misremebered: should be _Lost Crops of the Incas_

Boguslav   Mon Jul 31 2006

Lupins Geography, classification, genetic resources and breeding

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Subject : Lupinus mutabilis  
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