Beach Pea Seeds (Lathyrus japonicus)

Beach pea is a quite glorious sprawling perennial adapted to coastal sand and gravel substrates. It emerges clambering from driftwood strewn shores, displaying clusters of purple flowers that are actively visited by bumble bees. Its smooth, almost succulent foliage spreading up to about two feet in diameter.

Scattered populations of this plant occur across in coastal areas across the globe where it is distributed by drifting and floating on ocean currents. Throughout the eons it has managed to even distribute itself along large interior water bodies such as the Great Lakes.

Outside of coastal landscapes however, beach pea is still a quite interesting plant for rock gardens and container planting. It flowers in mid-summer, is salt tolerant, and is consumed as a food plant by some foragers. Note that we cannot vouch for its edibility, but the most detailed article that we’ve stumbled upon is this great piece by ethnobotanist and forager T. Abe Lloyd.

Excellent when companion-planted with American Dunegrass, Puget Gumweed, and Springbank Clover.

Approximately 50+ seeds (1.5 grams).