# Sierra Nevada Peavine (*Lathyrus nevadensis*) The Sierra Nevada Peavine is a lovely flowering plant that grows in the mountains. It has pretty purple flowers that attract butterflies and bees, making it a special part of nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Sierra Nevada Peavine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lathyrus_nevadensis_10034.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lathyrus_nevadensis_10034.JPG) ## Appearance The Sierra Nevada Peavine is a climbing vine with delicate tendrils that help it grip. It has compound leaves with two to four leaflets and striking pea-like flowers, typically vibrant purplish-pink or magenta, sometimes lighter, clustered at the tips of stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Lathyrus ## Interesting facts - Its scientific name, Lathyrus, comes from a Greek word meaning "pea" or "vetch"! - Like beans, this plant can improve soil by adding essential nutrients for other plants! - This wild peavine's seeds look like peas, but are not safe to eat! - Tiny pollen grains from its flowers often hitch rides on the backs of busy bumblebees! ## Special abilities - **Climbing Ace:** Sierra Nevada Peavine can extend its slender tendrils to grip onto other plants or structures, helping it climb high for sunlight. - **Soil Enricher:** This plant has special root nodules that host bacteria, allowing it to "fix" nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil around it. - **Seed Launcher:** The Sierra Nevada Peavine develops pea-like pods that burst open when dry, flinging seeds far away to find new places to grow. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 45-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring, Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathering nectar and pollen for its hive. - **Pollinates:** Black-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus melanopygus*) — A native bee that visits its vibrant flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse on its leaves and tender stems. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — Lives in root nodules, converting nitrogen for the plant. ## Traits - [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. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sierra Nevada Peavine? 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 Sierra Nevada Peavine? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Sierra Nevada Peavine spread? 45-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on Sierra Nevada Peavine? 1-2.5 cm ### When does Sierra Nevada Peavine bloom? Spring, Summer ### Is Sierra Nevada Peavine edible? No ### Is Sierra Nevada Peavine toxic? Mild ### What is Sierra Nevada Peavine's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Otter Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/otter-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park ## 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: [Sierra Nevada Peavine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sierra-nevada-peavine)