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Chaparral Pea (Pickeringia montana) Woody shrub, generally a few feet tall, with almost right-angled short pointy branches. Most of the year, this shrub recedes into the background, but when its flowers come out, it is the first thing you see on the landscape. Chaparral Pea likes hard soil on steep hillside, and is often seen by the sides of roads.
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Field ID Tips · Tiny oval, pointed leaves, composed of 3 closely-set leaflets. · Flowers are brilliant magenta-purple pea-shaped flowers. · Stiff, angular branching is apparent in all seasons since the leaves are so small.
Brilliant magenta-purple flowers
Pointy, sharply angled branches Similar Plants Wedgeleaf Ceanothus also has almost right-angled short branches. The Wedgeleaf’s leaves are opposite, and generally in pairs, not 3s, and often grows 6 to 10 feet tall. Links: Mountain Home to West Point Shrubs |
Note how branches stick out almost 90 degrees from the stem. The only other shrub on this walk that has this sort of joint is a Wedgeleaf Ceanothus (see left-hand column). When not in bloom, you can tell a Chaparral Pea from a Wedgeleaf Ceanothus by feeling the end of the branch. Chaparral pea branches are typically pointed.
Leaves oval, in three closely-set leaflets. Flower is a distinctive bright pink.
When in bloom, Chaparral Pea dominates the landscape. |
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