Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Lupinus elmeri is an uncommon species of lupine known by the common names Elmer's lupine and South Fork Mountain lupine. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from a few scattered occurrences in the northernmost slopes of the North Coast Ranges. This is an erect perennial herb with a thick reddish stem and green, hairy herbage. It reaches a maximum height near 90 centimetres (35 in). Each palmate leaf is made up of 6 to 10 leaflets up to 6 centimetres (2. 4 in) long. The inflorescence bears pale yellow flowers each roughly a centimeter long which are not arranged in whorls as they are in many other lupines. The fruit is a hairy legume pod up to 5 centimetres (2. 0 in) long.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

2 - 3 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

Purple, Cream, Yellow

Flowering season

Summer

Water

Moderate

Soil description

Prefers loamy or clay soils. Grows poorly in sandy soils.

Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 15 likely

Confirmed Likely

Alfalfa Looper Moth

Autographa californica

Orange Sulphur

Colias eurytheme

Western Sulphur

Colias occidentalis

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Cupido comyntas