Lupinus lepidus
Pacific lupine, Dwarf Lupine
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus lepidus (Pacific lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by bioregion data unclear.
Pacific lupine is a California native perennial found in low-elevation habitats of western coastal and mountain regions. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces pink, violet, or blue flowers in compact clusters 2 to 30 centimeters long. Growing as a low-spreading herb less than 60 centimeters tall with prostrate to slightly erect stems, it forms matted clumps with soft hairy appearance. Its leaves have 5 to 8 leaflets, each 5 to 40 millimeters long, covered in soft hairs and emerging from slender petioles 2 to 10 centimeters long. The fruit is a hairy pod 9 to 14 millimeters long containing 2 to 4 mottled tan or green to brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; bioregion data unclear
Habitat and range
California counties: Alpine, Mono, El Dorado, Plumas, Del Norte, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Modoc, Madera, Placer, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Calaveras, Lassen, Nevada
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 lepidus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus lepidus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Lupinus lepidus grow?
Lupinus lepidus occurs in Alpine, Mono, El Dorado, Plumas, Del Norte, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Mariposa and other counties.
What plant family does Lupinus lepidus belong to?
Lupinus lepidus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lupinus lepidus var. aridus — Great basin dwarf lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. confertus — Clustered tidy lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. culbertsonii — Hockett meadow lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii — Lobb's dwarf lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. ramosus — Branched dwarf lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. sellulus — Donner lake lupine
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.