Stats

Lifespan: 5-15 yrs
Size: Medium
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Mediterranean shrubland
Range: Western North America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Uncommon

About

A native California shrub with silver-haired palmate leaves and tall spikes of violet-blue pea flowers that bloom across coastal scrub each spring. Its dense silvery foliage reflects sunlight, helping the plant conserve water through hot, dry summers.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Lupinus
Species: Lupinus albifrons