Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

Coulter's Lupine, Lupinus sparsiflorus

Coulter's Lupine, Lupinus sparsiflorus - Photo Taken March 10, 2005.

Coulter's Lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus)	Coulter's Lupine (Lupinus sparsiflorus)

Coulter's Lupine Lupinus sparsiflorus, Papilionaceae Family also the Bean Family ( Fabaceae ) and Pea Family (Leguminosae), Coulter's Lupine. Also called Mojave Lupine. An annual herb. One of the most conspicuous of the spring flowers in a mass bloom, along with poppies and owlclover. Coulter's Lupine is able to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil, enabling the plant to survive in very poor soils. Height: About 16 inches. Spreading out to about 12 inches wide. Flowers: Blue - violet color, The upper petal ( banner ) has a yellow spot which changes to red after pollination. The two bottom petals ( keel ) are short, wide, hairy on the bottom edge and they curve upward to a slender tip. Blooming Time: March to May. Leaves: Leaves are palmately compound, with 5 - 9 leaflets, each up to 1 1/2 inches long, green. Elevation: 0 - 4500 Feet. Habitat: On roadsides, flats, rocky hillsides. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken March 10, 2005 near Bartlett Lake.