Description
Approximately 125 seeds.
At a Glance: Riverbank lupine is a perennial herb or subshrub reaching 20–60 inches (50–150 cm) tall. It produces tall, showy spikes of bluish-purple to violet flowers in late spring to early summer. Known for its nitrogen-fixing ability, it often colonizes disturbed or riparian areas.
Leaves: The palmately compound leaves have 5–11 narrow, lance-shaped leaflets, each 1–3 inches (2.5–7.5 cm) long, with soft hairs on both surfaces. Leaves are mostly basal and along the stem.
Flowers: The pea-like flowers are bluish-purple to violet, sometimes with a whitish or yellowish spot on the banner petal. Flowers are densely packed in elongated spikes on upright stems.
Growing Conditions:
| Sun/Shade Tolerance | Hydrology | Elevation Range |
|
Sunny 100%-80%
Mostly Sunny 80%-60%
|
Moist
|
Low elevation
Mid elevation
|
References:
MacKinnon, A., Pojar, J., & Alaback, P. B. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Richmond, Wash: Lone Pine Publishing.
