A lupine field is my secret place. It’s a spot I stumbled upon while traveling to Moscow a few years ago. Finding the lupine field was the best thing that happened to me that day.
When I saw the purple spikes from afar, I forgot where I was headed and turned toward them. That day, I came across the most beautiful field filled with wild grasses and purple flowers.
I spent hours there, simply sitting in the violet grass, taking photos, and gathering bouquets. It’s truly one of the most beautiful fields I’ve ever encountered. I doubt I’ll ever be able to fully capture and explain what I felt there. The words twist on paper like floral tendrils, and I can’t seem to hold onto the stream of thoughts that dissolve into hundreds of lilac butterflies somewhere between my ribs.
I realized how much I love flowers that grow in spires and spread like a carpet, especially in my favorite lilac color. It was like a real fairytale. I’m almost sure that fairies were here at that moment.
I felt a surge of energy, which truly suggests that there was magic happened here. It’s believed that lupines are a popular symbol of nature and the cycle of life. Throughout time, the lupine flower has been used as a symbol of protection and strength, while another meaning was tied to alleviating depression and easing anxiety.
Lupine legends and folklore.
Many beautiful legends are connected to this flower, but my favorite is the story of the wolf. Long ago, it was believed that a person who drank lupine juice under a full moon would turn into a werewolf. According to Democritus, witches would brew lupine flowers in hemlock juice, the same poison that killed Socrates.
The very name of the flower means “wolf plant.” The word “Lupinus” translates to “wolf-like” or “wolf plant.” There’s also another reason lupines are considered wolf flowers—they can grow in any environment, even in harsh conditions, and survive, just like a wolf.
In the Middle Ages, lupines were included in complex brews used to ward off house spirits. But those lupines were not quite the same as the ones we see today. More on that below.
There are also a couple of facts that surprised me, and I’d like to share them with you too. In Harry Potter, Professor Lupin is a werewolf who transforms during the full moon. So, clearly, J.K. Rowling knew about this mystical power of the plant and the animal.
But in reality, as much as we want to believe in magic, what makes the plant poisonous is its high alkaloid content. It was only about a hundred years ago that people managed to breed non-alkaloid varieties that are even higher in protein and now used as animal feed. Surprising, right?
But honestly, these flowers will always carry magic for me. There’s probably no other summer flower that evokes such magical feelings in me. And if I’m honest, I wait for summer every year just to find another lupine field. In our part of Russia, it’s not easy. Lupines don’t grow everywhere like dandelions, and to find them, you either need to put in some effort or just unexpectedly stumble upon the right place.
It doesn’t happen every year, but if I come across a lupine field, my summer is complete. Today, I’m sharing these photos with you, and I hope this lilac magic enchants you too.
Having lived in Moscow for many years, I’ve found several lovely lupine fields. It turns out that you don’t need to travel abroad to find beautiful spots for photography. If you’re planning a gorgeous photoshoot, click here to find more charming locations.
Looking for more posts about folklore and flowers? Then check out my recent posts: The quirky paintings of Judy Garfin and English folklore: The Green Ladies.
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2 Comments
This is a beautiful post. 🌺
Thank you 💖