Please Pick the Lupines

There are invasive wildflowers all over but none receive as much hatred from me as the lupine. Why does this extremely destructive invasive bother me so much? I think it is because so many people love lupines.

If I didn’t know they were an invasive or if they would just stay in one spot then I too might think they were lovely.  But their ability to grow and spread everywhere eliminating all native species prevents me from even tolerating them.

There are large “stands” of lupines along roadsides on the north shore of Lake Superior and now they can be seen all over the Gunflint Trail too.  Their seeds do spread easily but unfortunately people help the spread of this invasive by planting them.

One year a local store was actually selling these demon seeds in their store! I encourage people to pick lupines. I encourage people to pull their entire roots out, place them in a sealed garbage bag and throw them away so they can’t go to seed and spread.

Let our native species shine through and help rid the planet, or at least the Gunflint Trail of these nasty non-natives.