This high elevation Lupin is quite common at high elevation in the southern Cascade and Sierra Nevada Ranges. It is found at elevations of 4,000'-13,000' (1,220-3,960 m) on well drained slopes and ridges often in open forested sights. The growth on lean scree sights is very short and tight with the foliage 1/2" (1.27 cm)tall and the inflorescence hovering an 1"(2.54 cm) above. In richer sights the plants grow twice that size. The woody crowns and branches tend to be buried by wind blown soils, these branches will send up leaves several inches away from the crown. It's not uncommon to find they have rooted.
The flowers are typically bright blue sporting a white eyed banner but once in a while a pale individual will stand out in the crowd.
I have had some luck moving young, one to two year old, seedlings into my garden. I do this in early fall when they are in a semi-dormant state.
There are four recognized varieties the only one I have in countered is variety breweri.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LUBR3
http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Lupinus+br...
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=61253
Comments
Re: Lupinus breweri
I remember from my childhood - the only lupin I knew about was a common blue (occasionally white) coarse and rather boring L. polyphyllus (or maybe a hybrid) in my grandma's semiwild garden at our summerhouse.
Now I have learnt here at the forum of the beautiful and refined species that do exist. This is not an exception!
Wonderfully detailed photos of a really great plant, John.