Lupinus succulentus
Arroyo lupine
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lupinus succulentus (Arroyo lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by fleshy texture, large size, and very large seed pods.
Arroyo lupine is a California native perennial found in central and western California, the Great Valley, northwestern California, and southwestern regions in open and disturbed areas at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces blue-purple flowers with a white banner spot that turns magenta with age, ranging 12 to 18 millimeters long. Growing 20 to 100 centimeters tall with a fleshy, sparsely hairy stem, it has a robust and distinctive appearance. Its compound leaves feature 7 to 9 leaflets, each 20 to 60 millimeters long and 7 to 20 millimeters wide, with a smooth upper surface. The fruit is a hairy pod 3.5 to 5 centimeters long, containing 6 to 9 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 55 sympatric species; key features are fleshy texture, large size, and very large seed pods
Habitat and range
Habitat: Abundant. Open or disturbed areas, many plant communities, often seeded on roadbanks
Elevation: < 1300 m
California counties: Kern, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Bernardino, Yolo, Mendocino, Colusa, Shasta, Lake, Butte, Santa Cruz, Merced, San Mateo, Marin, Napa, Alameda, Fresno, Tulare, Solano, Contra Costa, Imperial, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Kings, Amador, El Dorado, Sutter, Tehama, Glenn, San Benito, Sonoma, Sacramento, Humboldt, Tuolumne, San Francisco, Placer, Plumas
Outside California: Arizona, Baja California
Bloom period
Lupinus succulentus blooms Feb-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 succulentus native to California?
Yes. Lupinus succulentus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus succulentus bloom?
Lupinus succulentus blooms Feb-May.
Where in California does Lupinus succulentus grow?
Lupinus succulentus occurs in Kern, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 1300 m.
What plant family does Lupinus succulentus belong to?
Lupinus succulentus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
What habitat does Lupinus succulentus grow in?
Lupinus succulentus grows in Abundant. Open or disturbed areas, many plant communities, often seeded on roadbanks.
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.