Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Lupinus leucophyllus is a species of lupine known by the common name velvet lupine. It is native to western North America, where it grows in many types of mountain, prairie, and plateau habitat. It is a robust, branching, erect perennial herb growing up to 90 centimeters tall. Each palmate leaf is divided into 7 to 11 leaflets up to 7 centimeters long. The herbage is coated in white woolly fibers and stiff hairs. The flower cluster is dense raceme of many flowers, each around a centimeter long. The flower is purple in color, fading brown, the patch on the banner petal yellow or brownish. The pointed sepals and the back of the banner are hairy to woolly in texture. This is one of several poisonous lupines that are dangerous to grazing livestock. The plant contains toxic alkaloids including lupinine and the teratogenic anagyrine.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

1 - 3 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Blue, Lavender, Purple, Yellow, White, Brown

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Moderate

Propagation

For propagating by seed: Fresh seeds need no treatment. Stored seeds scarification or hot water.

Site type

Grassy slopes, sagebrush flats

Plant communities

Sagebrush Scrub, Yellow Pine Forest

Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 36 likely

Confirmed Likely

Lupine Dagger

Acronicta lupini

Painted Tiger Moth

Arachnis picta

Alfalfa Looper Moth

Autographa californica

Forage Looper Moth

Caenurgina crassiuscula