Lupinus tracyi
Tracy's lupine
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Lupinus tracyi (Tracy's lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by in Klamath Ranges; distinctive glabrous, glaucous appearance and color-changing flowers.
Tracy's lupine is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges in dry, open montane conifer forest at elevations of 800 to 2,080 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white to dull blue flowers that often fade to pale yellow, with blossoms 8 to 10 millimeters long arranged in whorled clusters. Growing 40 to 70 centimeters tall with an erect, slender stem that is glaucous and glabrous, it has a distinctive growth habit. Its leaves are composed of 6 to 7 leaflets, each 10 to 40 millimeters long, with stipules 7 to 9 millimeters in length. The fruit is a pod 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters long, covered in white hairs and darkening when dry.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species in Klamath Ranges; distinctive glabrous, glaucous appearance and color-changing flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, open montane conifer forest
Elevation: 800-2080 m
California counties: Trinity, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Glenn, Del Norte, Sonoma
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Lupinus tracyi blooms (May)Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 tracyi native to California?
Yes. Lupinus tracyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus tracyi bloom?
Lupinus tracyi blooms (May)Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Lupinus tracyi grow?
Lupinus tracyi occurs in Trinity, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Glenn, Del Norte, Sonoma, at elevations of 800-2080 m.
What plant family does Lupinus tracyi belong to?
Lupinus tracyi is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
Is Lupinus tracyi rare or endangered?
Lupinus tracyi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lupinus truncatus — Truncated leaf lupine
- Lupinus uncialis — Lilliput lupine
- Lupinus adsurgens — Drew's silky lupine
- Lupinus affinis — Fleshy lupine
- Lupinus albicaulis — Sickle keeled lupine
- Lupinus albifrons — Silver bush lupine
- Marina orcuttii var. orcuttii — California marina
- Marina parryi — Parry dalea
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.