Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus

Silver spurred lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Silver spurred lupine is a California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada and Great Basin regions in dry, open slopes, sagebrush scrub, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces violet or blue to white flowers 8 to 14 millimeters long with a distinctive 1 to 2 millimeter calyx spur. Growing 20 to 80 centimeters tall with an upright habit, it develops stems and leaves densely covered in silvery-silky hairs. Its leaves are primarily basal or partially cauline, with a soft, silvery appearance that gives the plant its distinctive texture. The flower banner is silky on the back, while the wing petals remain smooth and glabrous.

Habitat: Dry, open slopes, sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland

Bloom period: May-Sep

Elevation: 1000-3000 m

Bioregions: c SNH, GB

California counties: Lassen, Modoc, Inyo, Mono, Shasta, Alpine, Nevada, Sierra, Kern, Mariposa, Placer, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Plumas, El Dorado, Tehama

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