Yellow Bush Lupine

[Anonymous]

Several years ago I purchased a yellow bush lupine, which I was told, was a native plant in the Salinas Valley area. Is there a method of determining if this plant is indeed a true native lupine to this area?</p>

[Anonymous]

Well, it really depends on where in the Salinas Valley, and what the actual lupine species turns out to be.

A quick glance at the Lupinus section in Matthews' Illustrated Key to the Flowering Plants of Monterey County provides no obvious answers. The plant normally referred to as 'yellow bush lupine' is L. arboreus. That species does occur in Monterey County, but Matthews cites the purple flowered variety, growing near the coast. Someone from the CNPS Monterey Chapter could probably tell you more. Anyone from Monterey reading this?

Lupinus arboreus is a coastal species, as far as I know, but seeds and plants are readily available. This is because it is easy to propagate. I doubt that L. arboreus is native to the Salinas Valley. If that is what you have, it would need protection from the hottest sun during the summer.

That's the best I can do for now!

Lori</p>

[Anonymous]

Looking at the pictures in the Cal Photo data base can sometimes be useful in figuring out what species a plant belongs to, or at least in narrowing down the choice.

I have had to adjust the color and brightness of my computer monitor to be able to see the photos better.

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/photos/flora/</p>

[Anonymous]

This has been a controversy among restorationists for years. I can't answer the question for Salinas. But we at the Golden Gate National Parks recently made an interesting discovery. We are restoring a small section of the historic tidal marsh at Crissy Field in San Francisco. In excavating the marsh, we found the remnants of a historic native people's shellmound. To determine the borders of the shellmound, so that it could be preserved, the archeologists unearthed 20 or so seeds at a level dated about 400 years old, definately pre-European.

I sent them off the the state seed lab and one of the species identified was Lupinas arboreus, yellow bush lupine. So now we know that it did occur in SF 400 years ago anyway. Unless the Ohlone brought it up here from Salinas</p>

[Anonymous]

Yellow and purple bush lupine grow together in the same habitat along the coast south of Carmel Garapata Park. You may find both varieties blooming in Garland Park in Carmel Valley, about 10 miles inland. Salinas is only a short distance away. You might see if someone at Toro Park or Ft. Ord's BLM office can confirm yellow bush lupines there.

Patty</p>