Dwarf Lupine

lupinus lepidus

The Dwarf Lupine is a tiny, colorful flower that loves to bloom in sunny places! It's a great plant for butterflies and bees who come to visit it.

Habitat: It lives in rocky, sunny areas, often found in meadows and mountainous regions.

Appearance

The Dwarf Lupine has dense, silvery-green, palm-shaped leaves covered in fine hairs, forming a compact mound. It sports striking, upright spikes of small, pea-like flowers, typically in shades of vibrant purple to blue, making it stand out in meadows.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderFabalesFamilyFabaceaeGenusLupinus

Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk)CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗

Dwarf Lupine

Interesting facts

Bumblebees love Dwarf Lupine! They are important pollinators, often seen buzzing around its purple flower spikes.

Its name 'Lupinus' comes from 'lupus' (wolf), as people once thought it 'wolfed' nutrients from the soil!

Native Americans historically used parts of lupine plants for dyes, medicine, and sometimes even food after careful processing.

Wild Dwarf Lupine seeds can remain dormant for many years, waiting for just the right conditions to sprout!

Special abilities

Dwarf Lupine can fix nitrogen from the air into the soil, acting like a natural fertilizer for other plants around it.

Dwarf Lupine has tiny hairs on its leaves and stems that help it conserve water and protect itself from harsh sunlight.

Dwarf Lupine seeds are held in pods that can burst open to fling seeds far away, helping new plants grow.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-40 cm
Spread: 15-30 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Late spring to summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: Moderate
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

Pollinates

Bumblebee

Bombus appositus

Transfers pollen between flowers

Symbiotic with

Rhizobium bacteria

Rhizobium leguminosarum

Helps fix nitrogen in soil

Eats

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

Browses on leaves and stems

Traits

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Diurnal

Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

Pollinator

Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

Also known as

LupinusMountain LupinePurple Lupine

Collections

Plants

Safety

Danger

0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Dwarf Lupine?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How tall is Dwarf Lupine?

10-40 cm

How wide does Dwarf Lupine spread?

15-30 cm

How big are the flowers on Dwarf Lupine?

1-2 cm

When does Dwarf Lupine bloom?

Late spring to summer

Is Dwarf Lupine edible?

Is Dwarf Lupine toxic?

Moderate

What is Dwarf Lupine's lifecycle?