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Lupinus lepidus

dwarf lupine

Fabaceae Western North America

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–7

Overview

Lupinus lepidus is a low, cushion- to mat-forming perennial 2-12 inches (5-30 cm) tall, with forms ranging from flat alpine mats to taller lowland plants. Leaves are palmately compound with 5-9 narrow leaflets each 0.4-1.2 inches (1-3 cm) long, covered in silky hairs that give a silvery-gray cast. Pea-like flowers 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) long, blue to violet with a white or yellowish patch on the upper petal, are held in dense upright spikes 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long from May to August. Flat, hairy seed pods 0.5-1 inch (1.3-2.5 cm) long follow and split to release seeds. The plant grows from a deep root system and forms nitrogen-fixing root nodules, letting it colonize bare, gravelly ground. Seeds and foliage contain alkaloids that are poisonous to livestock and people if eaten. Above-ground growth dies back in winter and in summer drought at low elevations.

Native Range

Native to western North America from British Columbia south through the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges to California, and east to the northern Rocky Mountains. Grows on open gravelly slopes, alpine ridges, meadows, and volcanic ground from low elevations to above 10,000 feet (3,000 m).

Suggested Uses

Grown in rock gardens, alpine troughs, scree beds, and dryland native plantings, spaced 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) apart. The flowers are visited by bumblebees and other native bees. The poisonous foliage and seeds make it unsuited to areas grazed by livestock or accessible to young children.

How to Identify

Recognized by its low cushion form and palmately compound leaves with 5-9 silky-haired leaflets giving a silvery-gray cast. Blue-violet pea flowers 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) long with a pale patch on the upper petal sit in dense spikes 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long. The compact mat habit separates it from taller Lupinus spp. species, which reach 1-4 feet (30-120 cm).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 1'

Width/Spread6" - 1'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers from May to August, beginning later at high elevations where snow lingers. Individual spikes bloom for about 2-3 weeks, and the flowering period for a stand spans 4-6 weeks. Hot, dry conditions at low elevations shorten the bloom.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

blue to violet

Foliage Description

silvery-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun in gritty, gravelly or sandy, sharply drained soil of low fertility. Water sparingly; established plants are adapted to dry, exposed sites and rot in rich or wet ground. It fixes its own nitrogen through root nodules and needs no feeding. Seeds and foliage contain alkaloids that are poisonous to livestock and to people if eaten. Crown and root rot occur in soils that hold moisture. Plants are often short-lived and renew from self-sown seed, and they transplant poorly once the taproot forms.

Pruning

No routine pruning is needed. Spent flower spikes can be removed after bloom to limit self-seeding, or left to ripen seed. Dead foliage can be cleared in early spring as new growth begins from the crown.

Pruning Schedule

early spring