Lupinus albifrons var. johnstonii

Johnston's silver lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Johnston's silver lupine is a rare (CNPS 4.3) California native shrub found in the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains on dry slopes under pines at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces silvery white to purple flowers in compact clusters approximately 14 to 18 millimeters long. Growing as a low subshrub 1 to 3 decimeters tall with dense silver-colored hairy stems, it forms a compact and distinctive growth habit. Its leaves have long petioles up to 12 centimeters, with characteristic palmate leaflet arrangement typical of lupine species. The plant's striking silver-hairy appearance makes it a notable component of pine woodland understory communities.

Habitat: dry slopes under pines

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1500-2500 m

Bioregions: SnGb, SnBr.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.