# seaside pea (*Lathyrus japonicus*) The seaside pea is a lovely plant that grows near the beach. It has pretty purple flowers and green leaves that look like little tendrils. This plant loves sandy soil and can help keep the beach safe from erosion. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![seaside pea](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lathyrus_japonicus_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Dlanglois assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lathyrus_japonicus_1.jpg) ## Appearance The seaside pea is a sprawling plant with attractive purple to pinkish-purple flowers that resemble tiny sweet peas. Its leaves are compound, typically with 4-6 leaflets, and it often has tendrils for climbing. It forms dense mats, distinguishing it from upright beach plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Lathyrus ## Interesting facts - Honeybees and bumblebees adore its vibrant flowers, visiting often for sweet nectar and pollen. - Its seeds can float on ocean currents, helping them spread to new beaches across continents! - Some people call it the 'beach pea' because it absolutely loves sandy coastlines and dunes. - This plant is a wild cousin to the peas you might eat for dinner, both belonging to the legume family! ## Special abilities - **Salty Survivor:** Seaside pea can grow in sandy, salty soil near the ocean thanks to special adaptations that manage salt intake. - **Dune Defender:** This plant has deep, spreading roots that help hold loose sand in place, preventing beach erosion. - **Soil Booster:** Seaside pea has tiny bacteria friends in its roots that can turn air nitrogen into plant food, enriching poor soils. - **Climbing Champion:** The seaside pea uses small, curly tendrils to latch onto other plants or debris, helping it reach for sunlight. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-50 cm - **Spread:** 50-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring-summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen in root nodules - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on leaves and stems - **Eaten by:** Pea Leaf Weevil (*Sitona lineatus*) — larvae feed on roots, adults on leaves ## Traits - [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify seaside pea? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is seaside pea? 10-50 cm ### How wide does seaside pea spread? 50-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on seaside pea? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does seaside pea bloom? Spring-summer ### Is seaside pea edible? Yes ### Is seaside pea toxic? None ### What is seaside pea's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Glen Haven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glen-haven) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Ravenswood Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ravenswood-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Great Wass Island Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-wass-island-preserve) — Maine, US · Nature Reserve - [Greenwood Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenwood-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Historic Site - [Guard Island Light](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guard-island-light) — US · Historic District - [Kijik](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kijik) — Alaska, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see seaside pea](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/seaside-pea) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Seaside Pea: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/seaside-pea)