Lupinus formosus
A drought-tolerant California-native perennial with silvery leaves, fragrant blue flowers that thrive in dry, sunny spots, and that hosts the endangered Mission blue butterfly.
Common Names
Summer Lupine, Western Lupine
Summary
Summer lupine is native to California and grows as an evergreen shrub with silvery gray-green leaves and fragrant blue flowers that rise above the foliage in spring and summer. It spreads slowly by rhizomes, tolerates dry, sunny spots and clay soils, and is attractive to bees and butterflies.
In cultivation, it prefers full sun to part shade with dry to light watering, tolerates heavier soils such as clay, and thrives in dry, gritty, rocky, well-drained sites; it is suitable for native plant and pollinator gardens and open sunny landscapes.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
1-3 feet
Spread
1-3 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6-7
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Clay soils
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
5.0-7.0
Bloom Color
Blue
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Silvery gray-green
Fall Foliage Color
Silvery gray-green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Spreads slowly by rhizome.
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds: Fresh seeds need no treatment; stored seeds scarification or hot water.
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees and butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Greene
- Publication
- Man. Bot. San Francisco : 105 (1894)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Fabales
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Subfamily
- Papilionoideae
- Genus
- Lupinus
Inferior Taxa
Lupinus formosus var. formosus Lupinus formosus var. robustus