About Lupinus hyacinthinus Greene
Lupinus hyacinthinus Greene is an erect perennial herb that reaches a maximum height of one meter. It has a hairy texture, and new growth is gray-green. Each palmate leaf is divided into up to 12 narrow leaflets; individual leaflets can grow up to 8 centimeters long and just a few millimeters wide. Its inflorescence holds whorls of flowers, each over one centimeter long. Flowers are purple or blue, with a white to yellow patch on the banner petal. The fruit is a 3 to 4 centimeter long legume pod covered in silky hairs, which contains speckled seeds. This species blooms in June, July, and August, and grows at elevations between 950 and 2940 meters (3115 and 9645 feet). Its growing season lasts between 1 and 5 months, and its wet season lasts between 4 and 7 months. It acts as a host for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, including the Arrowhead Blue butterfly. Recorded bloom colors for this species are white, yellow, blue, and purple.
