Lupinus formosus - Summer Lupine

Description

A 2' high shrub with silvery leaves and lavender to blue flowers. It blooms in late spring through to fall, continuing later than most low elevation Lupines. Needs sun or part shade and good drainage in its transitional zone but can handle clay soil. It tolerates the summer drought of our Bay Area foothills to which it is native, but would probably do fine with summer irrigation. It is one of the foodplants for the endangered Mission Blue butterfly.