Lupinus nanus
Sky lupine
(c) Jamie Carter, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jamie Carter · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus nanus (Sky lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by equal calyx lips and pod dimensions.
Sky lupine is a California native annual found in the California Floristic Province in open grasslands, coastal sage scrub, and foothill woodlands at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces delicate blue, lavender, pink, or white flowers with a distinctive white banner spot and whorled arrangement. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters tall with hairy stems, it displays a delicate branching habit. Its leaves feature 5 to 9 (typically 7) leaflets, 10 to 40 millimeters long, with soft hairs covering the upper surface. The fruit is a hairy pod 2 to 4 centimeters long, containing 4 to 12 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 89 sympatric species; distinguished by equal calyx lips and pod dimensions
Habitat and range
Habitat: Abundant. Open or disturbed areas, grasslands, coastal sage scrub, foothill woodland
Elevation: < 1300 m
California counties: Humboldt, Contra Costa, Kern, Placer, San Luis Obispo, El Dorado, Monterey, Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Butte, Tehama, Madera, Nevada, Sierra, Solano, Amador, Napa, Plumas, Calaveras, Ventura, Tulare, Marin, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Shasta, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Yolo, Yuba, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Sacramento, Fresno, Lake, Sonoma, San Francisco, Stanislaus, Glenn, Santa Clara, San Benito, Kings, Alameda, Colusa, Trinity, Sutter, Merced, Del Norte, Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange
Outside California: Oregon, Washington
Bloom period
Lupinus nanus blooms Mar-Jun.
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 nanus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus nanus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus nanus bloom?
Lupinus nanus blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Lupinus nanus grow?
Lupinus nanus occurs in Humboldt, Contra Costa, Kern, Placer, San Luis Obispo, El Dorado, Monterey, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of < 1300 m.
What plant family does Lupinus nanus belong to?
Lupinus nanus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus nanus grow in?
Lupinus nanus grows in Abundant. Open or disturbed areas, grasslands, coastal sage scrub, foothill woodland.
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.