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Reveal, James L.

Lupinus bicolor

Lupinus bicolor Lindl.

Miniature Lupine, Miniature Annual Lupine, Pygmy-leaved Lupine

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: lubi

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

This is a small, blue and white, annual lupine growing to 16 in. in height. A usually small, grayish, hairy, branched plant with palmately compound leaves and blue-violet and white pea flowers arranged in whorls in short, thick, cone-like racemes. The pea-like flowers occur in a short raceme and are subtended by small, palmately compound leaves.

Miniature Lupine and California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) are common companions, the blue cast given to fields by the lupine perfectly complementing the fiery orange of the poppy. There are many other annual lupines. The oldest known viable seeds, discovered in 1967 frozen in a lemming burrow, are from an Arctic lupine estimated to be 10,000 years old; when planted the seeds germinated in 48 hours.

From the Image Gallery

32 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 16 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , OR , WA
Native Distribution: Vancouver I., B.C. to s. CA; perhaps introduced in AZ
Native Habitat: Sandy places below 3000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Sandy soils.

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.

Propagation

Description: Plant seeds.
Seed Treatment: Fresh seeds to do not require pretreatment. Stored seeds may benefit from scarification or hot water.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

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

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2018-11-30
Research By: TWC Staff

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