Spider Lupine

Our featured plant in the What’s Happening in Our Watershed project for March is Spider Lupine. Spikes of Spider Lupine (Lupinus benthamii) flowers can add blue accents above the ocean of spring green foothill grasses. Their narrow leaflets spread like skinny fingers from a single point on the leaf stalk. Over one hundred varieties of lupines spread across California from the coast to the tops of mountain peaks. Also common in our watershed are low growing Miniature Lupines and bolder shrubs of Silver Bush Lupine. Lupines and other pea family plants host bacteria in their roots that fertilize soils with the nitrogen needed to make the protein necessary for all life.

The line drawing below was created by Mady Neufeld. You’re welcome to print out and color the image below. You can also download the file here. For additional information, including photographs and range maps, visit Calscape.