When did lupine come to Iceland?

On November 3, 1945, he arrived home with his collection of seeds, and the story of the Lupine began. Fun Fact: Although Icelanders always refer to the plant as Lúpína (derived from the name Lupine), there is actually an Icelandic name for it. The official Icelandic name given to the plant is Úlfabaunir, which literally means ‘Wolf Beans.’

Is Iceland's purple lupine a new form of identity politics?

As the climate changes, the lupine spirals toward places previously protected from the plant by cold temperatures and low rainfall. For some Icelanders, however, this purple flower is welcome. In a very visceral debate, the fight for Iceland’s color has spurred a new form of identity politics.

What is the Alaskan lupine?

The term “lunar landscape” is popular among today’s tourists when captioning images of boundless Icelandic deserts, shaped by volcanic eruptions, covered in different shades of lava. In the foreground of those photographs, however, is often a peculiar purple alien: the Alaskan lupine.

Are Nootka lupines native to Iceland?

The Nootka lupine which grows in Iceland is not native to the country as it was imported from North America in 1945 to combat topsoil loss, which had been a serious problem since the 19th century. The lupine has a tendency to create monocultures which both prevent other plants from growing and can suffocate more delicate flora.