Lupinus elatus
Silky lupine, Silky Lupine
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Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Lupinus elatus (Silky lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by tall silvery-silky habit and large mottled seeds.
Silky lupine is a California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada and Transverse Ranges in dry conifer forest at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces lavender to blue flowers with a pale yellow banner spot, arranged in whorled clusters 5 to 40 centimeters long. Growing with erect silvery-woolly stems 50 to 90 centimeters tall, it develops a distinctive upright habit. Its palmately compound leaves have 6 to 8 leaflets, each 20 to 80 millimeters long, covered in silky silvery hairs. The fruit is a 2 to 3 centimeter pod containing 4 to 6 mottled olive-brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 57 sympatric species; key features are tall silvery-silky habit and large mottled seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry conifer forest
Elevation: 1500-3000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, Tulare, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Riverside, Fresno
Bloom period
Lupinus elatus blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 elatus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus elatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus elatus bloom?
Lupinus elatus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Lupinus elatus grow?
Lupinus elatus occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, Tulare, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of 1500-3000 m.
What plant family does Lupinus elatus belong to?
Lupinus elatus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
Is Lupinus elatus rare or endangered?
Lupinus elatus carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.