Soft Lupine

The name "lupine" is derived from the latin word for wolf because it was once believed that they absorb all the nutrients from the soil. However, lupines are actually great nitrogen fixers because they are part of the pea family, Fabaceae.

Soft lupines have short stems and hairy leaves with an alternate leaf arrangement. The flower petals are light purple to white.

Soft lupines grow well on rocky slopes and in sandy soils. They are often found in sagebrush dominated habitats at elevations ranging between 1,400 and 1,725 meters.

Here in the Truckee Meadows, soft lupines can be found on the trails on and around Peavine Peak.

These lupines are also known as jawleaf lupines.