Just got back from an extended trip to Taiwan. The last thing we did before returning was ride the Maokong Gondola and wander the mountain trails above Taipei. We saw many lupins there. That's a flower I'd never seen before, but if you're a Monty Python fan, it should immediately call to mind the troupe's take on wealth redistribution.
For your amusement, here it is, along with a site I found with pictures of the area we visited:
http://luomujie.blogspot.com/2016/03/LupinFlowersinTaiwanSpringMaokongMountainsGondola.html
Comments
It's curious that our native lupine is a deep blue. However, it is even more curious our lupine also is used to nurture and protect other plants. Out west they have a terrible problem with a invasive plant, spotted knapweed. It has a chemical in its roots that kills off that native vegetation on which the livestock graze. Sort of like juglone in black walnuts. Well, they've discovered that lupine and gaillardia (blanket flower) also have chemicals in their roots that neutralize those in the roots of the spotted knapweed. The lupine and blanket flowers are like shepherds to the other native plants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus
And so it goes,
peace,
rono
Hope all is well with you.
Take care- OJ