It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 40 to 80 cm tall.

The flowers are produced in whorls on a spike 12 to 20 cm long.

There are three subspecies: It is native to western North America from southern British Columbia south through Washington to Oregon.

[2] Fender's blue butterfly, an endangered species, is host-specific on Kincaid's lupine.

Its larvae eat the leaves during the fall and spend the winter among the roots.