Miniature Lupine
ExplorePlants
Miniature Lupine
Lupinus bicolor
The Miniature Lupine is a small, colorful flower that grows in sunny places. Its pretty blue and purple petals attract butterflies and bees, making it a happy spot in nature!
Habitat: Grasslands
Appearance
The Miniature Lupine has dense spikes of tiny, pea-like flowers, typically bright blue or purple with a distinctive yellow or white spot on their upper petal. Its leaves are palmately compound, appearing like small green fingers, and often covered in fine hairs, giving it a soft, fuzzy look.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderFabalesFamilyFabaceaeGenusLupinus
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Did you know its pretty yellow "landing strip" on the flower actually turns reddish after a bee visits?
Its leaves fold up at night and on hot days to save water, like tiny umbrellas closing!
Its seeds are super tough, some can wait years and years for the perfect rain before they sprout!
The Miniature Lupine loves sunny spots and can even grow where other plants struggle!
Special abilities
Ability
Nitrogen Power-Up
Miniature Lupine can enrich the soil by partnering with tiny root bacteria, helping other plants grow stronger!
Ability
Chemical Shield
This plant has special chemicals in its leaves to taste bad or be mildly toxic, keeping hungry animals from eating it!
Ability
Seed Launchpad
Miniature Lupine has pods that twist and pop open when dry, flinging its seeds far away to find new homes!
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-50 cm
- Spread
- 15-30 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.8-1.5 cm
- Bloom Season
- Spring to early summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- Moderate
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
symbiotic with
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Rhizobium leguminosarum
Lives in roots, provides nitrogen.
pollinates
Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
pollinates
Yellow-faced Bumblebee
Bombus vosnesenskii
Important pollinator in its native range.
eats
Lupine Plant Bug
Orthotylus lupini
Feeds on sap from leaves and stems.
Traits
Aromatic
Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
Flowering
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Nitrogen Fixing
Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
Spring Blooming
Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
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.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Miniature
Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Miniature Lupine?
10-50 cm
How wide does Miniature Lupine spread?
15-30 cm
How big are the flowers on Miniature Lupine?
0.8-1.5 cm
When does Miniature Lupine bloom?
Spring to early summer
Is Miniature Lupine edible?
No
Is Miniature Lupine toxic?
Moderate
What is Miniature Lupine's lifecycle?
Annual
How is Miniature Lupine pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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