Lupinus lepidus var. confertus
Clustered tidy lupine
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Family: Fabaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Lupinus lepidus var. confertus (Clustered tidy lupine) is a native California perennial in the Fabaceae family, recognized by dense clustered inflorescence with >7 crowded whorls diagnostic.
Clustered tidy lupine is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, White Mountains, Transverse Ranges, and Great Basin in montane meadows and vernally moist areas at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces blue, pink, or lavender flowers with a distinctive yellow banner spot that fades to brown or red. Growing 25 to 60 centimeters tall with decumbent to erect hairy stems, it forms dense clusters of flowers arranged in multiple crowded whorls. Its leaves are palmately compound with a single leaflet blade 15 to 30 millimeters long, typically hairy and green. The plant's compact growth and variable flower colors make it a charming component of high-elevation mountain meadows.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 68 sympatric species; dense clustered inflorescence with >7 crowded whorls diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Meadows, vernally moist areas
Elevation: (300)1500-3000 m
California counties: Mono, Tulare, San Bernardino, Inyo, Mariposa, Plumas, Sierra, Kern, El Dorado, Ventura, Alpine, Amador, Placer, Tuolumne, Nevada, Shasta, Lassen, Butte, Modoc, Madera, Fresno, Trinity, Calaveras, Tehama, Siskiyou, Santa Barbara
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Lupinus lepidus var. confertus blooms Jun-Aug.
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 var. confertus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus lepidus var. confertus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus lepidus var. confertus bloom?
Lupinus lepidus var. confertus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Lupinus lepidus var. confertus grow?
Lupinus lepidus var. confertus occurs in Mono, Tulare, San Bernardino, Inyo, Mariposa, Plumas, Sierra, Kern and other counties, at elevations of (300)1500-3000 m.
What plant family does Lupinus lepidus var. confertus belong to?
Lupinus lepidus var. confertus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus lepidus var. confertus grow in?
Lupinus lepidus var. confertus grows in Common. Meadows, vernally moist areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.