Lupinus pachylobus
Big pod lupine
(c) Ike Ikemori, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus pachylobus (Big pod lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by distinctive large fleshy pods and blunt keel.
Big pod lupine is a California native annual herb found in northern coastal ranges, interior mountain ranges, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern coastal ranges in open or disturbed grasslands and foothill woodlands at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces blue flowers with white banner spots that darken to magenta with age, approximately 7 to 9 millimeters long and arranged in whorled clusters. Growing 15 to 40 centimeters tall with hairy stems, it develops an upright, delicate form. Its compound leaves have 7 leaflets, each 20 to 25 millimeters long and 2 to 5 millimeters wide, arranged on petioles 4 to 8 centimeters long. The fruit is a plump, densely hairy pod approximately 3 centimeters long and 6 to 9 millimeters wide, typically containing around 5 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 50 sympatric species; distinctive large fleshy pods and blunt keel
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Open or disturbed areas, grasslands, foothill woodland
Elevation: < 600 m
Bloom period
Lupinus pachylobus blooms Mar-May.
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 pachylobus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus pachylobus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus pachylobus bloom?
Lupinus pachylobus blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Lupinus pachylobus belong to?
Lupinus pachylobus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus pachylobus grow in?
Lupinus pachylobus grows in Uncommon. Open or disturbed areas, grasslands, foothill woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.