The owner of an interior shop in Coastal Maine unpacked the key differences between the region's native sundial lupine and its invasive counterpart, the big leaf lupine, while wandering through a friend's flower field.

Initially, TikToker Alexander Widener (@alexander_widener) was sharing the story of Hilda Hamlin, who in the 1950s spread lupine seeds throughout Maine.

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How one woman changed the landscape of Coastal Maine forever. Discover the beauty of the humble lupine. 🪻

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However, considering that these seeds were from Hamlin's native England, he felt it would be remiss of him to not share the key differences between the native plants and the invasive ones.

"My friend has both the native variety and the big leaf variety [in her field]," he began. "You can tell [this is the native one] because it has white variegations in the petals. The big leaf variety…has solid petals."

Lupines are a staple of summers in Maine, as these purple-stalked flowers line highways and fields throughout June and July. But even though these two species are similar, the big leaf lupine still poses an invasive threat.

"They will cross-pollinate, and you'll get some that have just a little bit of white on the petals," Widener explained. "Eventually, the invasive species will win out."

The big leaf lupine is a particularly complicated case of an invasive species, as its environmental impact is a mixed bag, according to the National Park Service, which also has a page called "A Tale of Two Lupines."

As Widener alluded to above, its existence is forcing the decline of native iterations of lupine in the area, and it crowds out milkweed, a necessary plant for monarch butterflies in the region.

Plus, the seeds of this particular variety can be toxic to animals, which can throw off the balance of the local ecosystem.

However, it's also an asset to some pollinators and attracts hummingbirds. Its deep root systems can also combat erosion and improve soil quality.

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In any case, the native lupine has similar positive traits, so environmental experts still don't tolerate the invasion of its big leaf cousin.

To protect native populations, park staff will remove any invasive lupine they see. While it doesn't actively condemn its use outside the parks, NPS encourages homeowners to rely on native alternatives and rewilding efforts to conserve even unprotected land.

As for Widener, he suggested an easy way to support the local ecosystem in the video caption — and even have something to take home in the process.

"Always pick the invasive ones and leave the native ones to grow in peace," he said.

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