Yellow Bush Lupine
Lupinus arboreus
Pea family
Where is it from?
- Yellow bush lupine is native to central and southern California.
- It was introduced northward for dune stabilization.
Where are you likely to find it?
- Along coastal sand dunes, especially near Eureka, Samoa
and McKinleyville.
- The only known location in the Redwood National and State
Parks is near Orick at Freshwater Beach just south of the
Redwood Information Center.
What makes it a "BAD" plant?
- Yellow bush lupine is a tall, dense shrub that shades out
native dunemat species.
- By fixing nitrogen and casting shade, it modifies the beach
environment, encouraging other non-native species to colonize
below its limbs.
- It displaces three (CNPS List 1B) sensitive plant species:
beach layia (Layia carnosa) [also federally listed as
endangered], Wolf's evening primrose (Oenothera wolfii)
and pink sand verbena (Abronia umbellata ssp.
brevifolia).
- It hybridizes with native species of lupine, disrupting
native gene pools. Most of the lupines near the Redwood
Information Center are hybrids between yellow bush lupine
(Lupinus arboreus) and a native, blue-flowered
lupine (Lupinus rivularis).
How do you get rid of it?
- Hand pulling and weed wrenching are the best methods of removal.
- The entire root system must be removed for the plant to die.
- Plants can be left where pulled, but large quantities are
removed and burned to preserve the aesthetic quality of the beach.
What can you do to help?
- Report any new sightings in the park. Call the Vegetation
Management branch at the South Operations Center in Orick
(707-464-6101, ext. 5282). Let us know where you saw the
plants so they can be mapped for future work projects.
- To get even more involved in control of exotic plants,
sign up as a Volunteer in Parks (VIP).
- CAUTION: Do not remove plants without permission
in writing or direction from a private land owner, manager or,
if on public lands, an agency official. Much of the area where
yellow bush lupine occurs is actual or potential habitat for
sensitive species that the lupine threatens. Controlling lupine
and restoration of habitat are worthy goals, but the immediate
protection of sensitive species, especially when they are
reproducing, always takes precedence, as is required under the
Endangered Species Act.
