Leafy Pea
Lathyrus polyphyllus
- Native to:
- United States
Walter Siegmund (talk)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Lathyrus
- Species:
- Lathyrus polyphyllus
- USDA Symbol:
- LAPO3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Vine
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Idas blue (Lycaeides idas), Western Tailed-Blue (Everes amyntula)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 14–30 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat is recommended before cold stratification. Soaking in warm water for 24 hours may substitute for mechanical scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: 45-90 days of cool/moist stratification to break dormancy
Establishment: This species of pea can be found in California, Washington and Oregon.
Source: npn.rngr.net