r/u_NevCoNativePlants

The expansive genus of Lupinus ranges from annuals, woody shrubby perennials and herbaceous perennials, but when we greet them in habitats with extreme environmental conditions we can see their adaptation. Lupinus breweri lives in Alpine or other high elevation habitats exposed to snow pack, high winds, and substrates that have sparse to open vegetation. It takes on a mat-groundcover form from high winds and enjoying any warmth it can collect from its substrate that absorbs intense sunlight. It's one of those grape soda scented lupines as I walked perhaps through 1.5 km of just this lovely species, I had such lovely aromatics of this lupine with skunk scented monkey flower.

It's always a treat to see the hemiparasitic meadow resident. For those new to this plant if you look closely an individual flower resembles an elephants head. Seen in Nevada County, CA, 8,000' elevation.