Sky Lupine
Lupinus nanus
Also known as: Open Lupine
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Lupinus
- Species:
- Lupinus nanus
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 1-2 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr, may
- Bloom Colors:
- Blue
Native Range
United States: California, Nevada, Oregon, Canada: British Columbia
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to California, thrives in open, sunny areas
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Single-step cold-moist stratification for temperate woodland species. for 60–120 days
Notes: Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o