Lupinus covillei
Coville's shaggy lupine
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Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus covillei (Coville's shaggy lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by tall stature and long shaggy hairs.
Coville's shaggy lupine is a California native perennial found in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains in subalpine forests, rocky slopes, and moist meadow edges at elevations of 2,500 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces light blue flowers with a distinctive yellow spot on the banner, clustered in open inflorescences 2 to 6 centimeters long. Growing 20 to 90 centimeters tall with erect stems covered in strigose to shaggy hairs longer than 1 millimeter, it has a distinctly hairy appearance. Its yellow-green leaves are composed of 4 to 9 leaflets, each 30 to 110 millimeters long and 5 to 11 millimeters wide, with lower leaf stalks 5 to 10 centimeters long. The fruit is a woolly pod 2.5 to 4 centimeters long, containing 4 to 6 beige and mottled dark seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; key features are tall stature and long shaggy hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Depressions, meadow edges, moist, rocky slopes, subalpine forests
Elevation: 2500-3500 m
California counties: Mariposa, Tuolumne, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Mono
Bloom period
Lupinus covillei blooms Jul-Sep.
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 covillei native to California?
Yes. Lupinus covillei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus covillei bloom?
Lupinus covillei blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Lupinus covillei grow?
Lupinus covillei occurs in Mariposa, Tuolumne, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Mono, at elevations of 2500-3500 m.
What plant family does Lupinus covillei belong to?
Lupinus covillei is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus covillei grow in?
Lupinus covillei grows in Depressions, meadow edges, moist, rocky slopes, subalpine forests.
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.