Lupinus latifolius
Bigleaf lupine
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus latifolius (Bigleaf lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by bioregion data unclear.
Bigleaf lupine is a California native perennial herb found in montane and subalpine habitats at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces blue, purple, or white flowers with distinctive white to yellow spots that turn purple on the banner, arranged in open inflorescences 16 to 60 centimeters long. Growing with erect green stems 30 to 240 centimeters tall, it develops an upright, robust form with multiple branching characteristics. Its palmately compound leaves have 5 to 11 leaflets, each 4 to 10 centimeters long, with upper leaf surfaces glabrous and lower surfaces slightly hairy. The fruit is a densely hairy pod 2 to 4.5 centimeters long, containing 6 to 10 mottled dark brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; bioregion data unclear
Habitat and range
California counties: Humboldt, Los Angeles, Lake, Contra Costa, Plumas, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Riverside, Ventura, San Mateo, Kern, El Dorado, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Orange, Sonoma, Modoc, Marin, Glenn, Santa Clara, Butte, Yuba, Tehama, Trinity, Mariposa, Fresno, Napa, Monterey, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Madera, Mendocino, San Diego, Amador, Sierra, Calaveras, San Benito, Alpine, Placer
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 latifolius native to California?
Yes. Lupinus latifolius is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Lupinus latifolius grow?
Lupinus latifolius occurs in Humboldt, Los Angeles, Lake, Contra Costa, Plumas, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Inyo and other counties.
What plant family does Lupinus latifolius belong to?
Lupinus latifolius is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lupinus latifolius var. dudleyi — Dudley's broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius — Broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. parishii — Parish's broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. viridifolius — Small flowered broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus lepidus — Pacific lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. aridus — Great basin dwarf lupine
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.