Lupinus brevicaulis
Sand lupine
(c) Sue Carnahan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus brevicaulis (Sand lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by extremely low growth form distinctive.
Sand lupine is a California native annual found in southern Modoc Plateau, White and Inyo Mountains, and eastern Mojave Desert regions in sandy washes, grasslands, and pinyon/juniper woodlands at elevations of 300 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces bright blue flowers with a white or yellow banner spot, clustered in dense inflorescences about 1 to 2.5 centimeters long. Growing with compact stems 3 to 10 centimeters tall and covered in fine hairs, it forms a low, dense cluster near the ground. Its leaves are clustered near the base, composed of 6 to 8 narrow linear to oblanceolate leaflets 10 to 15 millimeters long, with upper leaf surfaces smooth. The fruit is an ovate, hairy pod approximately 1 centimeter long containing one or two smooth seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; extremely low growth form distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy washes, open areas, grasslands, creosote bush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 300-2400 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Modoc, Lassen, San Diego, San Benito
Outside California: to Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico
Bloom period
Lupinus brevicaulis blooms May-Jun.
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 brevicaulis native to California?
Yes. Lupinus brevicaulis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus brevicaulis bloom?
Lupinus brevicaulis blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Lupinus brevicaulis grow?
Lupinus brevicaulis occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Modoc, Lassen, San Diego, San Benito, at elevations of 300-2400 m.
What plant family does Lupinus brevicaulis belong to?
Lupinus brevicaulis is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus brevicaulis grow in?
Lupinus brevicaulis grows in Sandy washes, open areas, grasslands, creosote bush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland.
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.