Lupinus albicaulis
sickle-keeled lupine
Habit: upright, stout, multi-stemmed lupine covered in short hairs. Leaves are palmately compound, divided into 5-10 leaflets, each 1-3 in (2-7cm) long. Purple to white pea flowers are arranged in loose whorls on terminal, raceme spikes, 4-15 in (10-38cm) long, flowers eventually fade to brown. Fruit is a hairy pod, with round flattened seeds, that are covered in beautiful mottled gray markings. Blooms starting late May and lasting almost a month.
Ecology: found on dry open slopes, either recently disturbed, or seasonally changing, at elevations of 1600-9800 ft (500-3000 m) from Washington into California.
Growing Conditions: full sun, in sandy to course dry soil.
Good for use in soil stabilization in locations of poor soil fertility, and drought, Lupinus albicaulis has the ability to fix nitrogen and grow rapidly.
