When does chick lupine bloom?

Chick lupine flowers from March through June, with most plants reaching peak bloom in spring before setting seed and drying out for the summer.

What pollinators visit chick lupine?

Bees and butterflies are the main visitors to chick lupine flowers, working the pea-shaped blooms for nectar and pollen through the spring bloom period.

What growing conditions suit chick lupine best?

Chick lupine does best in full sun with low water once established, and it tolerates the dry, open, sandy or grassy sites common in its western range.

Is chick lupine a perennial plant?

No. Chick lupine is an annual forb that completes its life cycle in one growing season, germinating with winter rains and flowering the following spring.

Is Chick Lupine HOA-friendly?

Chick Lupine is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

Chick Lupine

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Lupinus microcarpus

Last reviewed: August 2026

Lupinus microcarpus, or chick lupine, is a low, full-sun annual wildflower that blooms March through June on dry grasslands and open slopes in the western United States, favoring low-water sites once established.

Chick Lupine (Lupinus microcarpus) is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs or cats (aspca.org (opens in new tab), last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

6"–24" H × 12"–36" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr, May, Jun

Native to

AZ, CA, NV, OR and 1 more states

Pollinators

bees, butterflies

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast Range Puget Lowland Northwestern Forested Mountains Sierra Nevada Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains Central California Valley Southern California Mountains North American Deserts Mojave Basin and Range Sonoran Basin and Range Southern California/Northern Baja Coast

Lupinus microcarpus, commonly known as chick lupine, is a colorful annual wildflower native to parts of western North America. It produces attractive spikes of blue-purple flowers in spring and early summer above a compact mound of palmate foliage. Plants reseed readily in favorable conditions but are not aggressive spreaders.

Growing Chick Lupine

Grow Chick Lupine in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 6 to 24 inches tall and spread 12 to 36 inches wide. Expect moderate maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Chick Lupine is an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement. Maintenance level: moderate. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.

Works well in: mid zone, foundation.

Can look untidy after blooming
May self-seed and appear somewhat random/informal
Annual nature means seasonal gaps without proper planning

Wildlife value

Host plant for orange sulphur butterfly.

This lupine is an excellent pollinator plant, particularly attractive to native bees and butterflies. It serves as a nectar source for adult butterflies and a host plant for certain butterfly larvae.

Common questions

When does chick lupine bloom?: Chick lupine flowers from March through June, with most plants reaching peak bloom in spring before setting seed and drying out for the summer.
What pollinators visit chick lupine?: Bees and butterflies are the main visitors to chick lupine flowers, working the pea-shaped blooms for nectar and pollen through the spring bloom period.
What growing conditions suit chick lupine best?: Chick lupine does best in full sun with low water once established, and it tolerates the dry, open, sandy or grassy sites common in its western range.
Is chick lupine a perennial plant?: No. Chick lupine is an annual forb that completes its life cycle in one growing season, germinating with winter rains and flowering the following spring.
Is Chick Lupine toxic to dogs?: Chick Lupine is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs (aspca.org).
Is Chick Lupine toxic to cats?: Chick Lupine is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for cats (aspca.org).
Is Chick Lupine HOA-friendly?: Chick Lupine is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

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