Lens culinaris
Lentil
(c) Dmitriy Bochkov, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Lens culinaris (Lentil) is a non-native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by Agricultural escape; Old World domesticated species occasionally persisting as weed.
Lentil is a naturalized annual found in central western California in disturbed areas at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering in July, this plant produces small whitish flowers approximately 6 millimeters long. Growing with delicate stems up to 45 centimeters tall, it appears finely hairy throughout its structure. Its compound leaves feature 10 to 14 narrow leaflets, each 7 to 15 millimeters long and roughly oblong to elliptic in shape. The fruit develops as a pendant pod 1 to 1.4 centimeters long, containing one or two flat, lentil-shaped seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Agricultural escape; Old World domesticated species occasionally persisting as weed
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 2000 m
Outside California: sporadic in United States, native to Old World
Bloom period
Lens culinaris blooms Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Vicia: Vicia (vetches) have larger, usually purple flowers and pods with several rounded seeds; Lens has tiny pale flowers and short flat pods holding only 1-2 lens-shaped seeds.; vs Lathyrus: Lathyrus has winged or angled stems and 1-3 pairs of larger leaflets; Lens has slender round stems, many (10-14) small leaflets, and a short terminal tendril.; vs Pisum: Pisum (garden pea) has large leaflets, big leafy stipules, and round green seeds in a plump pod; Lens is finely hairy with narrow leaflets and flat pods of flattened seeds.; vs Cicer: Cicer (chickpea) has toothed leaflets, sticky glandular herbage, and an inflated pod with beaked seeds; Lens has entire leaflets and a flat, non-inflated pod.; vs Acmispon: native trefoils (Acmispon/Lotus) have few palmate leaflets and no terminal tendril; Lens has pinnate leaves tipped by a tendril and a distinctly flat lentil pod.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lens culinaris native to California?
No. Lens culinaris is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Lens culinaris bloom?
Lens culinaris blooms Jul.
What plant family does Lens culinaris belong to?
Lens culinaris is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lens.
What habitat does Lens culinaris grow in?
Lens culinaris grows in Uncommon. Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.