This is a lupine much more common to the east side of the Cascades; here it grows on Crystal Ridge, near the Park boundary. The Pea Family affiliation is revealed in the hairy pods, maturing by early August.

A good field mark for Silky Lupine is the narrow leaves, palmately divided as with other lupines. The common name is derived from the many hairs on the plant that give it a whitish appearance. The plants can be tall and wide; here they grow at the western edge of their range. This is variety sericeus.