Lupinus arizonicus

Common Names

Arizona Lupine, Lupino, Trèbola, Altramuz, Sonora Lupine

Summary

Arizona lupine is an annual wildflower native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, growing in open sandy washes and hillsides to about 10–50 cm tall with erect to ascending stems. It bears green palmately compound leaves with 6–10 leaflets and tall spikes of pink to magenta flowers, sometimes aging to purplish blue or white, on a hairy inflorescence, with bean-like pods forming after flowering and seeds dispersed explosively.

It prefers full sun and well-drained soils (sand, loam, rocky) with moderate to low water; best planted en masse or with other wildflowers in a meadow or used as spring color in borders; propagated from seed by direct sow outdoors in fall, with seed collection after flowering for replanting; hardiness zones 6–10; commonly used in roadside revegetation and habitat plantings.

Lifecycle

Annual

Height

4-20 inches

Spread

2-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 8a-10b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; also partial sun and partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Alkaline (basic)

Bloom Color

Pink to magenta (often pink, pink-purple, or magenta; sometimes white)

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

2x growth (doubles in size)

Seasons of Interest

Spring

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds