Lupinus formosus
Lupine
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus formosus (Lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by NONE sympatric - but range poorly defined in source data.
Lupine is a California native perennial herb found in grasslands and oak woodlands at elevations of 300 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces deep purple flowers with white banner spots in dense whorled clusters 10 to 30 centimeters long. Growing 20 to 80 centimeters tall with spreading to nearly erect stems densely covered in gray to silver hairs, it forms substantial clusters with woody underground rhizomes. Its compound leaves have 7 to 9 elongated leaflets, each 25 to 70 millimeters long, arranged palmately with distinctive gray-green coloration. The fruit develops as a hairy pod 3 to 4.5 centimeters long, containing 5 to 7 mottled brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: NONE sympatric - but range poorly defined in source data
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Mateo, Alameda, San Diego, Riverside, Tulare, Mendocino, Mariposa, San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, Solano, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Madera, Tehama, Butte, Plumas, Marin, Napa, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, Tuolumne, Fresno, Santa Cruz, Colusa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Benito, Yolo, El Dorado, Placer, Merced, Sacramento, Shasta, Stanislaus, Inyo, Siskiyou
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 formosus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus formosus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Lupinus formosus grow?
Lupinus formosus occurs in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Mateo, Alameda, San Diego, Riverside, Tulare and other counties.
What plant family does Lupinus formosus belong to?
Lupinus formosus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
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.