Lupinus albifrons aka Foothill Lupine

Lupinus albifrons is a woody shrub in the pea family, Fabaceae. Its native range starts in southern Oregon. It runs south to Baja California, Mexico. Kew lists it as a shrub or subshrub of temperate regions. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Its leaves stay on the plant year-round. Silky hairs give them a silver-white look. The flowers have a scent and range from violet to lavender.

The shrub grows upright to about 5 feet [1.5 metres]. In open sites, its shape is round but uneven. Gray bark covers its woody frame. Young twigs are green to gray-green, unlike the older gray bark. Leaves grow in turn along the stems, not in pairs. Each leaf has leaflets that spread from one point. This leaf form has the name palmately compound. The whole leaf measures about 4 inches across. Each has six to ten narrow leaflets, up to an inch long. Some have a lance shape. Others are wider near their tips.

The flowers grow on upright spikes that rise above the leaves. Each spike measures about 6 to 8 inches long. The flowers do not grow in rings, or whorls, around the stalk. Their violet and lavender shades stand out against the pale leaves. Virginia Tech notes blooms from spring to the middle of summer. The spikes, scent, and silver leaves give the shrub its garden appeal. Leaves stay on its woody frame after the blooms end.

The fruit forms pods that look like pea pods. The pods have brown hairs on their surface. They measure about 1½ to 2½ inches long. When ripe, they twist open with force and throw out seeds. The plant releases its seeds through this forceful split. These ripe pods differ from the upright spikes that once held flowers.

The sources give full details of its shape and seasonal traits. They give no soil, water, or light guidance for this species. They also give no hardiness rating or mature spread. Its native range alone does not tell us its garden needs. The sources do not assess pests or diseases. Nor do they assess edible uses or toxicity. Its food value and safety thus remain unclear from this evidence.