Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis): blue Minnesota wildflowers

Wild Lupine

Plant Info
Also known as:	Sundial Lupine
Scientific name:	Lupinus perennis
Family:	Pea (Fabaceae)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun to part shade; fields, prairies, edges of woods
Bloom season:	spring
Plant height:	8 to 24 inches
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Rice Creek Trail Corridor

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Flower:: Flowers are in a spike-like cluster to 8 inches long. Individual flowers are ¾ to 1 inch long and a typical pea-shape, on a short stalk. The lower parts of the flower are blue. The upper parts may be blue, or two-tone blue and purple, or blue and white. Both upper and lower parts have many darker blue veins running through them. The lower parts are forced open by insects to reveal a horn-shaped stamen. One plant has multiple spikes.
Leaves:: Leaves are divided into 7 to 11 leaflets, radiating from a central point at the end of a long leaf stem. Leaflets are hairy, up to 2 inches long, have rounded tips and taper to a point at the base.
Fruit:: The seed pod is up to 2 inches long, hairy, shaped like a typical pea pod, and turns black when mature. Each pod contains 2 to several seeds.
Notes:: The seeds of Wild Lupine are poisonous. Wild Lupine is the only host plant for the Karner Blue butterfly caterpillar. Habitat loss has led to the decline in plants, and put the Karner Blue on the endangered species list.