Pickeringia montana var. montana

Montana chaparral pea

Family: Fabaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Montana chaparral pea is a California native shrub found in northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, northern Channel Islands, and Transverse Ranges in chaparral and open woodland at elevations generally below 660 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces pink to magenta flowers in clusters along its branches. Growing 1 to 2 meters tall with stiff, woody stems that are grayish-green and somewhat rigid, it forms a dense, rounded bush. Its compound leaves have multiple leaflets, typically pinnate with 5 to 7 dark green, oblong leaflets each 2 to 4 centimeters long. The fruit is sparse and rarely abundant, typical of its genus.

Habitat: Chaparral, open woodland

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: generally < 660 m (1700 m in south)

Bioregions: NCoR, n SNF, SnFrB, SCoR, n ChI, TR.

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Nevada, Napa, Lake, San Mateo, Alameda, Marin, Monterey, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Amador, Butte, Mariposa, San Diego, Yuba, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Colusa, Solano, Riverside

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.