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Native Plant Database

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Lupinus sparsiflorus (Mojave lupine)
Wasowski, Sally and Andy

Lupinus sparsiflorus Benth.

Mojave lupine, Sand lupine

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

USDA Symbol: LUSP2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Slender, erect, branched stems have pale blue or blue-lilac pea flowers in open racemes.

In a good year with ample fall and winter rains, Mojave Lupine carpets the floor of the southern Arizona desert, competing for attention with Globemallows (Sphaeralcea spp.) and Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata), providing mile after mile of blue-violet, brick red, and brilliant yellow. Found only in the Big Bend region of Texas is the similar Chisos Bluebonnet (L. havardii), with dark blue-violet petals.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NM , NV , UT
Native Distribution: Southern California and northern Baja California, southern Nevada and southwestern New Mexico.
Native Habitat: Open fields, slopes, and deserts.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1985 VOL. 2, NO.1 - A Glorious Spring, Lupines in Landscapes, Director's Report, Notable Quote, Wild...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lupinus sparsiflorus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lupinus sparsiflorus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lupinus sparsiflorus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-10-24
Research By: TWC Staff

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