Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus
Southern mountain lupine
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Family: Fabaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus (Southern mountain lupine) is a native California subshrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by subshrub habit and leaves crowded at base.
Southern mountain lupine is a California native shrub found in the Tehachapi Mountains, southern Great Basin, and southern Transverse Ranges in dry slopes, chaparral, and yellow pine forest at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces silvery-white flowers 14 to 18 millimeters long in elongated clusters up to 40 centimeters tall. Growing as a subshrub 20 to 50 centimeters tall, it is woody only at the base and covered in distinctive silver hairs. Its leaves are densely crowded near the plant's base, creating a compact, silvery appearance. The banner of each flower may be glabrous or lightly hairy, adding subtle textural variation to its silvery-green foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 38 sympatric species; key features are subshrub habit and leaves crowded at base
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, chaparral, yellow pine forest
Elevation: 1000-3000 m
California counties: San Diego, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Salvia: Lupine has pea flowers and palmate leaves; sage has tubular two-lipped flowers and opposite leaves.; vs Artemisia: Lupine has large showy flower spikes; sagebrush has tiny inconspicuous flowers and silvery aromatic foliage.; vs Thermopsis: Lupine typically has 7-11 leaflets; false lupine has exactly 3 leaflets and bright yellow flowers.; vs Delphinium: Lupine has pea flowers; larkspur has flowers with prominent backward-pointing spur.; vs Vicia: Lupine is upright with palmate leaves; vetch is climbing with pinnate leaves and tendrils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus bloom?
Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus grow?
Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus occurs in San Diego, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and other counties, at elevations of 1000-3000 m.
What plant family does Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus belong to?
Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus grow in?
Lupinus albifrons var. austromontanus grows in dry slopes, chaparral, yellow pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lupinus albifrons var. collinus — Low-growing silver lupine
- Lupinus albifrons var. douglasii — Long-bracted silver lupine
- Lupinus albifrons var. hallii — Hall's bush lupine
- Lupinus albifrons var. johnstonii — Johnston's silver lupine
- Lupinus albifrons var. medius — Mountain springs lupine
- Lupinus andersonii — Anderson's lupine
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.