Lupinus apertus
Summit lupine
(c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus apertus (Summit lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by hairy banner back is distinctive.
Summit lupine is a California native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in dry, rocky soil of yellow pine to subalpine forests at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces purple flowers occasionally pink or white, with a distinctive white spot on the banner and clustered in 8 to 11 centimeter inflorescences. Growing with erect green stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall that are puberulent to sparsely hairy, the plant develops an upright structure. Its leaves have 7 to 9 leaflets, each 25 to 55 millimeters long, with small stipules 5 to 10 millimeters in length. The fruit is a hairy pod 2 to 3 centimeters long, containing 3 to 4 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 43 sympatric species; hairy banner back is distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, rocky soil, yellow pine to subalpine forests
Elevation: 1500-3000 m
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Lupinus apertus blooms Jun-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 apertus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus apertus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus apertus bloom?
Lupinus apertus blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Lupinus apertus belong to?
Lupinus apertus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus apertus grow in?
Lupinus apertus grows in Dry, rocky soil, yellow pine to subalpine forests.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.