Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Lathyrus japonicus (common names Sea Pea, Beach Pea, Circumpolar Pea, Sea Vetchling) is a legume native to temperate coastal areas of Asia, Europe, North and South America. It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing trailing stems to 50-80 centimeter long, typically on sand and gravel storm beaches. The leaves are waxy waxy pale green, 5-10 centimeter long, pinnate, with 2-5 pairs of leaflets, the terminal leaflet usually replaced by a twining tendril. The flowers are 14-22 millimeter broad, with a dark purple standard petal and paler purple wing and keel petals; they are produced in racemes of 2-7 together.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

2 ft Tall

Form

Mounding

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

Purple

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun

Soil description

Prefers sandy or loamy soils. Does not grow well in clay soils.

Sunset Zones

15, 16*, 17*

Site type

Beaches and dunes

Plant communities

Coastal Strand

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 8 likely

Confirmed Likely

Orange Sulphur

Colias eurytheme

Western Sulphur

Colias occidentalis

Clouded Sulphur

Colias philodice