Purple Lupine

I was trying to ascertain the name of the flowering herb, growing wild, or possibly xeriscaped, but obviously quite prominent in drought-stricken New Mexico. In the process, I caught an image of this flower, a purple lupine of one form or another. I don’t recall the name. Sort of common in the high desert. Point and click photography is iffy at best, but that one image fascinated me.

The herb I was trying to identify? I pulled up a picture on my phone.

“Oh that? It’s ‘Russian Sage,'” answered a cowboy. ‘One Loop.’ Nickname. He could tie a calf with one loop. Most ropers require two loops. Never mind, if you don’t get the real rodeo reference.

About the author: Born and raised in a small town in East Texas, Kramer Wetzel spent years honing his craft in a trailer park in South Austin. He hates writing about himself in third person. More at KramerWetzel.com.

  • rhubarb Jul 7, 2011 @ 10:05

    You captured the intense colors nicely. One Loop is not only a champion roper but knowledgeable about local flora, it seems. I’m thinking about turning my front “lawn” (complete collection of green weeds mowed down to lawn height) into a dry plant landscape. Don’t think a high desert flower would like the near-desert climate where I live.

    • Kramer Wetzel Jul 7, 2011 @ 10:31

      Yeah, ‘Russian Sage,’ kept trying to identify it, and he finally acknowledged it.

      Look for xeriscaping stuff…

  • Maia Jul 8, 2011 @ 13:04

    Whatever its name is, it is a lovely purple flower. Those stones and the tree make up a nice setup for the little wildflower.

  • Linda Makiej Photography Jul 8, 2011 @ 18:19

    stunning color on this one!!

  • Squirrel Queen Jul 9, 2011 @ 0:09

    It is a beautiful flower, purples are my favorite. But it looks nothing like the Russian Sage I have growing in my garden.

  • Vhen Jul 9, 2011 @ 2:59

    great great capture!

    visiting from Macro Flowers Saturday!

    http://point-shoot-vhen.blogspot.com/2011/07/365138-140.html

    hope to see you there also, thanks!

  • Roan Jul 9, 2011 @ 6:24

    Those cowboys! The purple flower is beautiful. The petals almost look transparent.