Key to Lupines on the SF Peninsula

Lupines always have vertical columns of pea flowers (inflorescences), finger-like leaves (each finger is a leaflet), and hairy pea pods.

Shrubs

Shortest plants first

	Height/Stem	Inflorescence Height/ Arrangement	Flower Color/ Banner Spot	Leaflet Length	Other
Varied Lupine Lupinus variicolor	< 20” Sometimes woody, sometimes herbaceous Prostrate but not weak Silver hairs on stems	Med (< 6") Arrangement varies	Varying shades of yellow, white, blue and rose on each flower No banner spot.	Small (about 1”)	Coastal terraces, beaches
Douglas Silver Lupine Lupinus albifrons var. collinus	< 20” Silver hairs on stem	Med (<6”) Not whorled	Violet to Lavender Has banner spot yellow or white ages to purple	Small (< 1”) Silvery hairs	Cliffs, forest openings
Silver Bush Lupine Lupinus albifrons var. albifrons	3 to 5 feet typically Can grow to 16 feet	Tall (<12”) Not whorled	Violet to Lavender Has banner spot yellow or white ages to purple	Small (< 1”) Silvery hairs	Common in chaparral and open foothill woodlands.
Coastal Bush Lupine Lupinus arboreus	4 to 7 feet	Tall (<12”) Arrangement varies	Yellow (usually) Sometimes banner spot	Med (1-2”) Sparse or no hairs.	Prominent on coastal bluffs and dunes, plus some inland. San Mateo var. eximus has lavender flowers.
Dune Bush Lupine Lupinus chamissonis	5 to 7 feet Dense silver hairs on stem	Med (<8”) Arrangement varies	Light violet to blue Has banner spot	Small (<1”) Silvery hairs	Coastal strand and dunes

Flowers

Shortest plants first

	Height/Stem	Inflorescence Height/ Arrangement	Flower Color/ Banner Spot	Leaflet Length	Other
Miniature Lupine Lupinus bicolor Compare to Sky Lupine	< 16” Erect	Short (<3”) Tight bunch	Blue Has banner spot white ages to magenta	Small (about 1”) Narrow (<.2”) Folded on midrib	Carpets grasslands
Sky Lupine Lupinus nanus Compare to Miniature Lupine	< 20” Hairy, erect stem Often in whorls	Med (<8”) Often in whorls	Blue to purple Has banner spot white ages to magenta Wide banner petal as wide as long	Small (about 1”) Not as narrow (.25-.5”)	Abundant in open or disturbed areas. Tends to be bigger and more vividly purple than Miniature Lupine.
Varied Lupine Lupinus variicolor	< 20” Sometimes woody, sometimes herbaceous Prostrate but not weak Silver hairs on stems	Med (< 6") Arrangement varies	Varying shades of yellow, white, blue and rose on each flower No banner spot.	Small (about 1”)	Coastal terraces, beaches
Summer Lupine Lupinus formosus var. formosus	< 31” Spreading or erect Silver hairs on stems	Tall (<12") Arrangement varies	Faded blue or purple Sometimes banner spot white > magenta	Big (<2.5”) Narrow, pointed Folded on midrib Silky leaflets make them slippery	In Valleys, dry soils Summer bloomer
Chick Lupine Lupinus microcarpus	< 31” Stout, sometimes hairy, hollow stem	Tall (<12") In whorls	No banner spot	Med (<2”) Hairless top, Some hair below Sometimes folded on midrib	Very short pea pod (< ¾”). Varieties mix, as do features
var. densiflorus			Generally white or yellow, sometimes with orange markings.	Long leaf stalks (1-6”)	Flowers and pods start in whorls around stem, but end up sideways to the stem!
var. microcarpus			Generally rose or purple.		Flowers and pods stay in whorls around the stem.
Arroyo Lupine Lupinus succulentus	< 39” Stem not hairy	Med (<6") In whorls	Blue or purple Has banner spot white ages to magenta	Med (<2”) Wide near tip. Fleshy top feels rubbery Some hair below Long leaf stalks (2 - 6")	Abundant in open or disturbed areas. Often seeded on road banks.
Stinging Lupine Lupinus hirsutissimus	< 40” Stinging hairs on stem.	Tall (<12") Flowers in a spiral	Bright pink or magenta. Has banner spot White ages to magenta	Big (<3”) Stinging hairs in small blisters.	Seen at Fremont Elder. Colonizes after fire.
Broad Leaf Lupine Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius	< 48” Erect, green Stem not hairy	Very Tall (<24") Open arrangement	Blue or purple Has banner spot white ages to purple Keel generally visible	Big (<4”) Not folded on midrib. Hairless top feels rubbery, slick underneath.	Dry rocky areas, burns Likes shaded areas with some seasonal moisture.
Giant Marsh Lupine Lupinus polyphyllus	< 60” Stout, erect, hollow stem Not hairy	Very Tall l (<16") Arrangement varies	Purple, pink or white Has banner spot Sometimes subtle	Big (<6”)	Marsh areas around Lake Merced and base of Santa Clara watersheds (KH)

Corrections/Comments: bruce@PlantID.net Copyright: https://PlantID.net/Contributors.aspx