Silvery Lupine

Silver Lupine, also called Silvery lupine, Silverleaf lupine, or Silver-stem lupine, is a native western wildflower that tends to spread and form colonies.  Its name owes to the fine, silvery hairs on the leaves and stems.  Silver Lupine grows in a variety of habitats from hot, dry areas where the plants may be scattered, short, and with few flowers to moist forests where there can be luxurious stands of taller plants with numerous flower spikes.  Silver Lupine may interbreed with other Lupine species, sometimes making positive identification difficult.  Here in the Four Corners, Lupine species are some of our most eye-catching native flowers, but they have provided more than just eye appeal.  The Navajo have traditionally used Silver Lupine to make a poultice to treat poison ivy blisters.

Several attributes make Silver Lupine a useful species in mixes to reclaim disturbed lands.  It develops long roots, which enable it to withstand drought once established.  It has a long flowering period and can bloom into September, providing important sustenance for pollinators.   It attracts many species of native bees, especially bumblebees, as well as butterflies and hummingbirds.  It is a member of the Pea family and is thus a fixer of nitrogen from the air, enabling it to thrive in poor soils.  When roots and other plant parts decay, this nitrogen is released into the soil.

Silver Lupine can make an attractive addition to native landscapes and gardens, with the top 8 inches of its 1- to 2-foot tall stem occupied by a showy flower spike, normally blue or purplish blue but sometimes pink or, rarely, white.  Silver Lupine has a hard seed coat, so scarifying the seeds first aids germination.  Plant  1/8″ deep in well-drained soil preferably in a sunny location to maximize flowering.  A note of caution for gardeners:  As with all species in the genus Lupinus, Silver Lupine, especially the seed, contains alkaloids that are toxic to people and livestock when ingested.