Lupinus argenteus var. palmeri

Palmer's lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Palmer's lupine is a California native perennial found in the high Sierra Nevada, Warner Mountains, and eastern Sierra Nevada ranges in dry, open montane forest at elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces blue flowers 8 to 10 millimeters long with a hairy banner. Growing 30 to 60 centimeters tall with long-spreading stem hairs, it forms an upright clump with distinctively textured foliage. Its leaves are densely covered in gray and silver-silky hairs, with leaflets that tend to fold slightly, creating a soft, silvery appearance. The plant's delicate blue flowers and silver-gray foliage make it a distinctive feature of its montane forest habitat.

Habitat: Dry, open montane forest

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 2000-2500 m

Bioregions: CaRH, SNH, Wrn, SNE

California counties: Alpine, Inyo, Madera, Mono, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta

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