The Danger of Lupine

Lupine is a type of flowering plant of the genus Lupinus. Some of these plants are posisonous to both people and animals. The lupine plant is also called bluebonnet and is sometimes spelled lupin.

Lupinine

• The culprit behind the plant's toxicity is lupinine, which is an alkaloid. It makes the plant taste bitter. Some lupins are called "sweet lupins," but these, too, can be toxic.

Edible

• As a bean plant, some lupine is eaten. Some beans are consumed by humans while some lupine is grown for livestock. Unfortunately, it is hard to know the edible from the inedible.

Poisonous Parts

• All parts of the plant are toxic, the seeds and pods especially, since the lupinine toxic is concentrated there. Dried lupine is also toxic.

Varying Toxicity

• Depending on the time of year, environment and the stage of growth the plant is in, lupine varies in its toxicity. Thus, what may have been edible during one season might have become toxic at another time.

Symptoms

• Lupine poisoning causes heart problems, nervousness, digestive problems and cognitive problems, among other symptoms.