Chaparral pea
Pickeringia montana
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Chaparral pea (Pickeringia montana) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
24"–60" H × 48"–96" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
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A dense, spiny evergreen shrub that spreads by underground stems into an impenetrable chaparral thicket, with small magenta-pink pea flowers in early summer. Its tangled, thorny growth reads as unkempt in a front-yard setting.
Wildlife value
The thicket habit provides secure nesting cover for small birds, and the summer flowers draw native bees.
Common questions
- How much sun does Chaparral pea need?
- Chaparral pea grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Chaparral pea bloom?
- Chaparral pea blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Chaparral pea native?
- Chaparral pea (Pickeringia montana) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Chaparral pea attract?
- Chaparral pea draws bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Chaparral pea? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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