Longspur lupine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Longspur lupine |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lupinus
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| Species: |
arbustus
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The Longspur Lupine (Lupinus arbustus) is a beautiful wild flower. It is a type of lupine plant. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia in Canada, all the way down to California and Utah in the United States.
About the Longspur Lupine
The Longspur Lupine is a kind of plant called a perennial herb. This means it is not a tree or a bush. It also means it lives for more than two years, often coming back each spring. It can grow up to about 70 centimeters (28 inches) tall.
Where It Grows
This plant likes to grow in different kinds of places. You can find it in areas with sagebrush, which are dry, open lands. It also grows in forests. It adapts well to various natural homes.
What It Looks Like
The Longspur Lupine can sometimes feel a bit hairy. Its leaves are shaped like a hand, with several leaflets spreading out from one point. Each leaf has between 7 and 13 small leaflets. These leaflets can be up to 7 centimeters (about 2.7 inches) long.
Flowers and Seeds
The flowers of the Longspur Lupine grow in tall clusters. These clusters can be up to 18 centimeters (about 7 inches) long. The flowers themselves are about 1.4 centimeters (about half an inch) long. They grow in groups around the stem.
The flowers have a special shape. At the back of each flower, there is a small, knob-like spur. The flowers can be many different colors. You might see them in white, yellow, or various shades of purple or pink.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces fruit. This fruit is a hairy legume pod. It looks like a small bean pod. These pods are usually about 2 to 3 centimeters (about 1 inch) long. Inside the pods are the seeds. There are also several different types, or subspecies, of the Longspur Lupine.
