Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 9, 2026

Lupinus diffusus

Lupinus diffusus, commonly known as Oak Ridge lupine, spreading lupine, or sky-blue lupine, is a species of lupine native to the southeastern United States, from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Mississippi. It is restricted to very dry, sandy soils, often in open pine or oak woodlands.

Last revised
Jul 9, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
197 w
Citations
Source
Lupinus diffusus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Lupinus
Subgenus: Lupinus subg. Platycarpos
Species:
L. diffusus
Binomial name
Lupinus diffusus

Lupinus diffusus, commonly known as Oak Ridge lupine, spreading lupine, or sky-blue lupine, is a species of lupine native to the southeastern United States, from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Mississippi. It is restricted to very dry, sandy soils, often in open pine or oak woodlands.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 30–50 centimetres (12–20 in) tall. The leaves are palmately compound with 3-5 leaflets 6–12 centimetres (2.4–4.7 in) long and 3–5 centimetres (1.2–2.0 in) broad, gray-green to silvery green, covered with fine white hairs. The flowers are pale blue or violet, produced in a dense spike 15–30 centimetres (5.9–11.8 in) long.

Cultivation

It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens for its flowers and silvery leaves, produced in early spring.