Abrams' lupine

Lupinus albifrons var. abramsii (C.P.Sm.) Hoover

Abrams’ lupine can develop into a broad, low mat as its woody branches spread away from the root crown. David Rogers’ Flora of Tassajara describes densely leafy evergreen subshrubs, their pale woolly covering giving the shoots a whitish appearance. Younger stems lie outward or rise from the ground. David Rogers, A Flora of Tassajara, revised second edition (2022), volume one

Botanical name

Kew accepts Lupinus albifrons var. abramsii (C.P.Sm.) Hoover and places the catalog’s Lupinus abramsii C.P.Sm. in synonymy. This profile retains that particular variety. Kew POWO: Lupinus albifrons var. abramsii Kew POWO: Lupinus abramsii synonym record

Recognizing the plant

The leaves are palmately divided, usually into eight or nine leaflets that radiate from one point. These are generally widest toward the tips and commonly one to two centimetres long. Flowers gather in spike-like clusters that may be loose or crowded. Individual blossoms measure about ten to sixteen millimetres and are mostly reddish-lavender to reddish-purple, sometimes bluish-purple, with a yellowish patch on the banner petal. The pods are two to four centimetres long and contain five to nine seeds. David Rogers, A Flora of Tassajara, revised second edition (2022), volume one

Bloom window

Tassajara region, California

The regional flora records April to July, sometimes extending into August. David Rogers, A Flora of Tassajara, revised second edition (2022), volume one

Native range

The variety is native to California’s Santa Lucia Mountains. In the Tassajara region it is scattered but locally common at higher elevations, above roughly 2,500 feet. Kew POWO: Lupinus albifrons var. abramsii David Rogers, A Flora of Tassajara, revised second edition (2022), volume one

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.