Common name(s): Silver dune lupine, Chamisso bush lupine

Family: Fabaceae - Pea family

Species: Lupinus chamissonis

Commonly found: Stabilized dunes

Size: The shrub grows up to 6 feet tall and flower clusters are often about 6 inches long.

Origin: Native. Lupinus chamissonis is endemic to California, where it is known to inhabit most of the length of the coastline. It grows in sand dunes and other immediate coastal habitats.

Description: The leaves are covered with fine silky hairs which give them a silver sheen in the sunlight. Flower petals are blue to lavender and are often clustered in whorls.

The Silver dune lupine is a type of legume that is nitrogen-fixing, meaning that it converts gaseous nitrogen in the atmosphere into a form of nitrogen that other plants can absorb through the soil. Nitrogen-fixing legumes work together with bacteria in root nodules to naturally fertilize the soil.