Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Lathyrus vestitus is a species of wild pea known by the common name Pacific pea. It is native to western North America, where it is mostly found in the forests, woodlands, and chaparral of California. The ranges of some subspecies extend into Oregon and Baja California. This is a perennial pea vine which varies in appearance across subspecies. Leaves are made up of several leaflets of various shapes up to 4 or 5 centimeters long. The leaves usually bear coiling tendrils and the stipules may be large or small. The flower cluster is a showy array of up to 15 pea flowers, sometimes densely packed together, and usually some shade of bright violet, or light to medium purple, or white.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

4 ft Tall

Dormancy

Evergreen

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Color

Pink, White

Flowering season

Winter, Spring

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Very Low, Low

Soil drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil description

Tolerates sandy or clay loam.

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Site type

Slopes, climbing through other plants

Plant communities

Chaparral, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Forest

Bats
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

1 confirmed and 22 likely

Confirmed Likely

Chionodes braunella

Cerulean Looper Moth

Caenurgina caerulea

Tobacco Budworm Moth

Chloridea virescens

Soybean Looper Moth

Chrysodeixis includens