Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus

Lathyrus japonicus Willd. var. maritimus (L.) Kartesz & Gandhi

Beach Pea

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonym(s): Lathyrus japonicus ssp. maritimus, Lathyrus japonicus var. glaber, Lathyrus maritimus, Lathyrus maritimus var. glaber, Pisum maritimum, Pisum maritimum var. glabrum

USDA Symbol: lajam

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N)

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Stems up to about 40 inches long.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: magenta

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , CT , IL , IN , MA , ME , MI , MN , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , VT , WA , WI
Canada: NB , NS , PE

Benefit

Use Food: EDIBLE PARTS: Peas and very young pods. Collect young pods in early summer and peas slightly later. Do not wash with detergent or sanitizer, only water. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: Seeds. Toxic if ingested in large quantities. Symptoms include Lathyrism: paralysis, slow and weak pulse, shallow breathing, convulsions. Toxic Principle: Amine, phenol, and glycoside. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2026-08-27
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back