Native Plant of the Month: Silver Bush Lupine

Mar 17

The silver bush lupine (Lupinus albifrons) adds unique color and striking beauty to a variety of landscapes, from Chaparral, to Foothill Woodland, to Northern Coastal Scrub. This evergreen perennial shrub has silver-green, palmate leaves that provide an eye-catching quality even when it is not flowering. This lupine will start to bloom in early spring and last through the summer.

Belonging to the pea family, these individual flowers are pea shaped, growing in spike-like clusters that are about 8 inches long, creating the distinct “lupine” shape rising above the foliage. The flowers can range in color from blue to magenta to lavender. The overall size of this shrub is about 3-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide.

This attractive and fragrant plant thrives in areas with full sun in sandy, rocky, well-drained soils with low fertility. It requires minimal water, with little to no watering in the summer (maximum 2 times per month once established). Propagation can be done by seed or cuttings.

The stunning purple flowers and unique palmate leaves of the silver bush lupine.

Silver bush lupine caught my eye at the Grassroots Ecology Native Plant Nursery.

Overall, this is a very low-maintenance plant and can thrive for many years in a sunny environment with good soil drainage. The silver bush lupine has many companion plants that prefer these same planting conditions, such as purple needlegrass (Stipa pulchra), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum), and California sagebrush (Artemisia californica).

Regarding animal interactions, the silver bush lupine supports many pollinators, from bees to butterflies to birds. It is even a host plant for the federally-endangered Mission blue butterfly! This plant is very deer resistant but can also be toxic to dogs and other pets.

The silver bush lupine will attract pollinators and be a striking eye-catcher in a sunny, drought-tolerant garden.

Silver bush lupine flourishing on a hillside.

Where to Find Silver Bush Lupine and Other Native Plants

Our nursery grows native plants like silver bush lupine using seeds and cuttings carefully sourced from local watersheds. See our latest inventory for online sales here:

Plants for sale

Spring Plant Sales

We also look forward to offering plants for the community at upcoming spring events hosted by the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Santa Clara Valley Chapter. Please note that pre-orders are highly encouraged.