Species › Plants › Beach Pea

Beach Pea

Lathyrus japonicus

CommonPlant
Illustration of Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus)

Beach Pea is a trailing vine that grows on sandy ocean beaches, lake shores, and gravel bars across northern North America. Its showy purple-pink flowers are a surprise in the harsh beach environment. It fixes nitrogen, helping build soil on newly formed dunes and shorelines. Bumblebees are the primary pollinators.

Habitat
Sandy ocean beaches, Great Lakes shores, and gravel bars
Diet
Pollen and nectar for bumblebees
How common
Common

Best time to see a Beach Pea

The best time to see a Beach Pea is May–July, when about 70% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 9,660 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a Beach Pea? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Beach Pea sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spotted a Beach Pea?

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal and know for sure - plus a live map of where it is being spotted near you.

Get Huck - free
5,300+species
63national parks
50states

More plants

Beach Plum
Beach Plum
Prunus maritima
Beaked Yucca
Beaked Yucca
Yucca rostrata
Bearberry
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Beargrass
Beargrass
Nolina microcarpa
Beavertail Cactus
Beavertail Cactus
Opuntia basilaris
Bebb's Willow
Bebb's Willow
Salix bebbiana
Beechdrops
Beechdrops
Epifagus virginiana
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon