Plant Name
Scientific Name: Lupinus bicolor
Common Name: Miniature Lupine
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Annual
Growth Habit: Herb/Forb
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert. This little wildflower grows in open, sandy, disturbed areas.
Flower Color: Deep blue or pale blue (rare), Pink (rare), White (rare)
Flowering Season: Spring
Height: To 16 inches (41 cm) tall, but usually much less
Description: The small flowers are in several whorls of usually 5 flowers along the short, hairy flower stalks. The individual flowers are pea-shaped and 1/4 inch (6 mm) long. The top banner petal has a squared off top edge and a large, white patch with dark blue dots. The white patch on the banner petal turns magenta with age. The leaves are palmately compound with 5 to 7 green leaflets.
The similar Shortstem Lupine (Lupinus brevicaulis) has flowers that are spiraled, not whorled around the flower stalks.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus: Lupinus L. – lupine
Species: Lupinus bicolor Lindl. – miniature lupine
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