[Lupines: The Genus Lupinus in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Silky Lupine

Lupinus sericeus

Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus) - Inflorescence of Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. maximus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis)

Silky lupine as seen at left uphill to the southwest of Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Area (along the route of one of the southern ski runs). This site is about 500' higher than the Timberline Trail. July 6, 2013. The image at right shows the inflorescence of silky lupine near the summit of Lookout Mountain, Badger Creek Wilderness.....July 3, 2024.

Sideview of a flower of Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus)

A very dark-flowered form of silky lupine as seen atop Sunrise Peak in the Dark Divide, Gifford Pinchot National Forest...........September 12, 2014.

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus) - Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus)

Silky lupine in bloom at left along the Lookout Mountain Loop Trails, Badger Creek Wilderness......July 13, 2019. The photo at right shows silky lupine in bloom along the Green Lakes Trail #17 near the West Fork Park Creek, Three Sisters Wilderness.....August 21, 2021.

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus)

Silky lupine still in bloom at a high point along the Timberline Trail about one-half mile or so above Lambertson Butte, Mount Hood Wilderness Area......July 18, 2021.

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. maximus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis) - Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. maximus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis)

Silky lupine spotted in bloom at left on sandy soils along the Sunrise Climber's Trail about one-half mile uphill from the Hellroaring Overlook, Yakama Nation lands at Bird Creek Meadows......August 10, 2023. The photo at right shows silky lupine beginning to bloom in open forest around the Fifteenmile Creek Trailhead at Fifteenmile Creek Campground, Mt Hood National Forest.....June 27, 2023.

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus) - Inflorescence of Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus) - Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus)

Silky lupine as seen (left) on steep slopes at the west end of the summit ridge of Lookout Mountain, Badger Creek Wilderness.........July 4, 2013. The photos at center and at right were taken along the eastern part of the loop trail to Lookout Mountain, Badger Creek Wilderness...........July 17, 2016. Note the hairs on the back of the banners on the upper flowers which have not fully opened yet.


Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus) - Seedlings of Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus) - Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus buckinghamii, Lupinus fikeranus, Lupinus flavicaulis, Lupinus flexuosus, Lupinus huilcoflorus, Lupinus leucopsis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus leucopsis var. shermanensis, Lupinus ramosus, Lupinus ornatus, Lupinus sericeus ssp. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. fikeranus, Lupinus sericeus var. flexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus, Lupinus sericeus var. subflexuosus, Lupinus sericeus var. wallowensis, Lupinus spiraeaphilus, Lupinus tuckerianus)

Silky lupine observed on sandy slopes high above the Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area, Mount Hood, OR.....July 4, 2021.

Paul Slichter