Silky Lupine

Lupinus sericeus

• Fabaceae
• Spokane Native
• USDA Zone 3-8
• Sun - Part Shade 
• Size: 2' x 2'
• Drought Tolerant: Yes
• Evergreen: no
• Flower Color: blue/purple (June - August)
• Wildlife value: pollinators and hummingbirds 

Clump-forming perennial with several solid stems arising from a woody caudex and deep taproot. Thrives in dry, rocky, well-drained soils on slopes and in open woods. Adapts well to sandy loam and clayey loam soils.

Attractive blue to purple flowers with soft lavender tones bloom in dense, elongate terminal racemes from early to midsummer. Two white markings on the banner petal add striking detail. The banner's back is covered with conspicuous silky hairs. Palmately compound leaves with 7-9 narrow leaflets are covered with characteristic silky hairs on both surfaces, giving the plant a distinctive silvery appearance. Lower leaves typically absent by bloom time.

As a nitrogen-fixing legume, silky lupine improves soil fertility and can colonize disturbed, low-fertility sites. Provides fair to good cover for small mammals and birds. Seeds attract birds. Important forage plant in ponderosa pine savannas, shrub-steppe, and grassland communities. Historically used by Native Americans for various purposes.

This can be used in rock gardens, wildflower gardens, prairie restoration, open woodland gardens, or naturalized areas. Excellent choice for dry, well-drained sites in eastern Washington native plant landscapes. Grows well in open ponderosa pine systems and grasslands with native bunchgrasses. A beautiful native legume that supports ecosystem health through nitrogen fixation.

Note: All parts of lupines can be toxic to livestock, particularly sheep and cattle during pregnancy. Suitable for wildlife gardens but use caution in areas where livestock graze.