Lupinus chamissonis
Dune bush lupine
(c) Henrik Kibak, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Henrik Kibak · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Lupinus chamissonis (Dune bush lupine) is a native California shrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by coastal dune habitat and silvery shrub form.
Dune bush lupine is a California native shrub found in southern Northern Coast, Central Coast, and Southern Coast bioregions along coastal strand and dunes at elevations near sea level. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces light violet to blue flowers with a distinctive yellow spot, arranged in compact whorled clusters up to 20 centimeters long. Growing as an erect silvery shrub 50 to 200 centimeters tall with densely appressed hairs, it has a distinctive appearance in coastal environments. Its compound leaves feature 5 to 9 leaflets each 10 to 25 millimeters long, supported by stipules 8 to 10 millimeters in length. The fruit is a hairy pod 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters long, containing 4 to 8 mottled brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; key features are coastal dune habitat and silvery shrub form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal strand, dunes
Elevation: < +- 10 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, Marin, Riverside, Kern, Del Norte, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Sonoma, San Benito, San Diego, Trinity, San Bernardino, Tulare, Napa
Bloom period
Lupinus chamissonis blooms Mar-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 chamissonis native to California?
Yes. Lupinus chamissonis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus chamissonis bloom?
Lupinus chamissonis blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does Lupinus chamissonis grow?
Lupinus chamissonis occurs in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, Marin, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < +- 10 m.
What plant family does Lupinus chamissonis belong to?
Lupinus chamissonis is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus chamissonis grow in?
Lupinus chamissonis grows in Coastal strand, dunes.
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.