Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus
Silvery lupine
(c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tim Messick · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus (Silvery lupine) is a native California perennial in the Fabaceae family, recognized by appressed hairs and folded leaflets.
Silvery lupine is a California native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in dry meadows, conifer forest openings, and sagebrush scrub at elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces blue or purple to white flowers 8 to 12 millimeters long with a slightly hairy banner. Growing 20 to 150 centimeters tall with stems and leaf hairs that are appressed and compact, it has a distinctive upright form. Its leaves are green with leaflets that tend to be folded, typically carried on petioles 1 to 5 centimeters long. The plant forms a robust, multi-stemmed cluster with densely clustered leaflets and a varied color range of blue to white blossoms.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 60 sympatric species - distinguished by appressed hairs and folded leaflets
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry meadows, openings in conifer forests, sagebrush scrub
Elevation: 1000-2000 m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Modoc, Shasta, Mono, Siskiyou, Alpine, Placer, Butte, Del Norte, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Nevada, Tuolumne
Outside California: to southern Canada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico
Bloom period
Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus blooms Jun-Oct.
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 argenteus var. argenteus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus bloom?
Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus grow?
Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Modoc, Shasta, Mono, Siskiyou, Alpine, Placer and other counties, at elevations of 1000-2000 m.
What plant family does Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus belong to?
Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus grow in?
Lupinus argenteus var. argenteus grows in dry meadows, openings in conifer forests, sagebrush scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus — Silver spurred lupine
- Lupinus argenteus var. meionanthus — Small flowered sierran lupine
- Lupinus argenteus var. montigenus — Long petioled silver lupine
- Lupinus argenteus var. palmeri — Palmer's lupine
- Lupinus arizonicus — Arizona lupine
- Lupinus benthamii — Spider lupine
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.