Lathryrus odoratus
A child in a beloved cartoon strip. A mother’s tender nickname for a tiny baby. A character on a TV show popular with young adults.
Sweet peas one and all. All named for the lovely vining annual whose legendary beauty makes us desire to apply its nomenclature to those dearest to us.
Let’s start with the flowers. A delicate, slightly folded petal that resembles a butterfly’s wings surrounds smaller petals that also flutter gracefully in the breeze.
We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
And the colors! Dark pink, light pink, medium pink; lavender, violet, deep purple, red, yellow, white, blue – Mother Nature has been generous to us with her palette of sweet pea flower hues.
She’s painted these blooms variously, with solid colors, in a bicolor fashion, or with streaks or other mottled designs.
And as if that weren’t enough – the fragrance! A blend of honey and orange, some say, while others detect a note of rose. It’s simply the scent of sweet pea, and while it may vary from cultivar to cultivar, it’s nearly always captivating.
The delicate stems and curling tendrils of L. odoratus add to its allure. It’s considered a desirable cut flower, and is often used in arrangements.
Let’s get to know this eponymic plant.
What You’ll Learn
An important note before we get too far: Sweet peas are poisonous to our canine friends. So you might want to avoid planting these where Rover is tempted to snack.
What Are Sweet Pea Flowers?
The sweet pea flower (Lathyrus odoratus) is an annual climbing plant that is in the genus Lathyrus, a member of the Fabaceae, or legume family.
It is native to the Mediterranean including southern Italy, the Aegean Island region, Sicily, and Cyprus.
Most varieties grow between three and seven feet as a vine if supports such as trellises, arbors, fences, or walls are available.
The annual species, L. odoratus, may be confused with the everlasting pea, L. latifolius, which is a perennial.
Cultivation and History
The first written record of this plant appeared in 1695, when monk and amateur botanist Francisco Cupani noted seeing it in northwestern Sicily.
Cupani later sent some seeds off to botanists in England and Holland, one of whom published an article about the flower, which included the first known botanical illustration of L. odoratus. To this day, ‘Cupani’ remains a popular variety of the plant.
Perhaps because of its long history, this plant is considered by some to be old fashioned. But many believe it’s as lovely as ever, and is refreshed often with new, ever-more-beautiful cultivars.
Propagation
Sweet peas are most commonly started from seed and many folks collect their own seeds from those grown the year prior.
These plants like it cool, so you have to plan carefully based on where you live. They need about 50 days of cool temperatures from planting to blooming.
The seeds will germinate in soil temperatures of 55 to 65°F, needing 10 to 14 days for this process.
They can be killed back by hard freezes, but they are fairly cold hardy and can take frost without suffering too much damage.
As a general rule, gardeners in the western United States should direct sow L. odoratus seeds from August forward.
In the drier plains states, Midwest, and northeast non-coastal areas, start seeds indoors for transplanting after the harshest weather has passed and the ground has thawed.
Or, direct sow if you’ll have enough not-apocalyptic-but-still-cool-enough days to get from planting to bloom.
Southerners can direct sow in November or December.
Many gardeners have better germination rates if they lightly nick the seeds with nail clippers. If you’re starting seeds indoors, use a good-quality potting mix in small pots, such as jiffy pots.
Different cultivars are planted at different depths so check the back of your seed packet for the recommend planting depth for your specific variety.
Place your pots in a sunny spot, and give them plenty of water, ensuring that there’s good drainage.
Get ‘Em in the Garden
If you started your seeds indoors, begin to harden them off when the plants have three or four pairs of leaves. Move your trays to an outside location that gets direct morning sun and afternoon shade.
After three or four days, move them to a place where they’ll get direct sun all day. After another four or five days, you can transplant the peas to your garden.
When transplanting, pick a sunny or mostly sunny location and prepare the soil by adding compost and turning the entire patch. This will allow the roots to grow deeper while continuing to feed on rich soil.
Most sweet peas types are climbing vines, though you can change that via pinching (more on that in a minute), and furthermore, some cultivars are more bushy (more on that in a minute, too).
Assuming you’re planting a climber – some can grow to six feet tall – place your transplants near a railing, wall, or fence, or construct some other kind of support. This could be a trellis, a frame, or a teepee made of bamboo canes.
If you’ve placed your plants near a railing or wall, you can help them climb by adding support rings to the structure and gently weaving the vines through as they grow.
You could also leave your vines unsupported so they form a ground cover.
This plant needs elbow room for proper air circulation and to ensure the roots don’t get too crowded. Place transplants at least six inches apart for proper growth.
Transplant into a hole the same depth as the container from which you’re moving the plant.
If you’re direct sowing outdoors, plant one to two seeds per hole in fertile, well-drained soil, spaced six inches apart.
How to Grow: Pinch for More
If you’re not growing a bushy cultivar, but you’d like to encourage a more bushy shape, you can train these plants into such a form by pinching.
Pinching back the plant is easy. Just pinch off the stem tip and new leaf growth right above an established set of leaves, using clean shears or the tips of your fingernails.
It’s best to wait to pinch back the plants until they’ve been established outdoors. If they aren’t going to be transplanted, then wait until your sprouts reach about four inches tall.
Keep up the pinching throughout the season when you see vines looking a little leggy, or want to increase the bushiness of your plant.
These plants will go to seed more quickly if the soil is allowed to dry out. Water deeply in the morning once a week, or as needed depending on your local climate and weather conditions.
Growing tips
- Grow when it’s cool outside
- Prefer sun, but will tolerate a bit of shade
- Keep soil moist
Pruning and Maintenance
Deadhead faded flowers and cut away any emerging seed pods. This will prolong blooming and helps to keep your plants from going to seed early.
Another way to prolong the blooming season is to fertilize regularly. Mixing in compost will keep your soil rich and moist, which in turn will feed your sweet peas and encourage strong flowering.
Fertilize once or twice a growing season with a high potash feed, or with a compost tea.
Cultivars to Select
Dozens of L. odoratus cultivars exist today, with plenty to choose from.
Royal Family Mix
You might like to start with a mix of colors, as available in this ‘Royal Family Mix’ from True Leaf Market. This seed mixture produces five- to six-foot vines and is available in various quantities.
High Scent
If fragrance is what you’re after, consider this ‘High Scent’ variety from Burpee. The large white blooms are edged in lavender.
Old Spice Mix
Consider the ‘Old Spice Mix’ from Eden Brothers if you need a heat-tolerant variety. This classic is both colorful and produces a strong, intoxicating fragrance.
Little Sweetheart
‘Little Sweetheart’ Sweet Pea Seeds
If container gardening is your thing, or if space is tight, consider ’Little Sweetheart,’ available from Botanical Interests. These plants grow eight to 14 inches tall.
Managing Pests and Diseases
There are not too many issues with growing sweet peas in the garden, just a couple of things to watch out for:
Insects
A few pests can bother this plant. You might see aphids, which can be blasted off with a stream of water. For caterpillars and cutworms, consider sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the base of your plants.
If you see leafminers or thrips, consider traps. For spider mites, try neem oil.
Snails and slugs can be treated with a bait such as Sluggo, available from Amazon.
Diseases
If plants are packed too tightly or don’t get enough sun, mildew can be a problem. Address this issue by thinning plants and/or applying a fungicide.
Best Uses
As we mentioned above, this plant is a capital climber. It looks lovely crawling up a fence, wall, or other support.
Some gardeners select a dwarf cultivar and grow it in a hanging basket. Some grow it in a pot and let it trail over the sides. Many options are available to you!
Sweet Pea Quick Reference Growing Chart
Plant Type: | Annual, flowering vine | Flower Color: | White, yellow, deep purple, violet, lavender, blue, pink, red |
Native to: | Mediterranean region | Maintenance: | Moderate |
Hardiness (USDA Zone): | 2-11 | Tolerance: | Deer, rabbits |
Bloom Time: | Late winter-early summer, depending on location | Soil Type: | Rich, organic |
Exposure: | Full sun to part shade | Soil pH: | Neutral to slightly alkaline, 7.0-7.5 |
Time to Maturity: | Plant in fall for spring growth | Soil Drainage: | Well-draining |
Spacing: | 6 feet | Companion Planting: | Sweet alyssum, lobelia |
Planting Depth: | 1/2-2 inches, check seed packets | Uses: | Climbing plant on wall, fences, or trellises; dwarfing varieties in hanging baskets |
Height: | Varies | Attracts: | Bees, butterflies |
Spread: | Densely packed rhizome-based growth | Family: | Fabaceae |
Water Needs: | Moderate | Genus: | Lathyrus |
Pests & Diseases: | Aphids, caterpillars, cutworms, leafminers, thrips, snails, slugs | Species: | odoratus |
Vintage but Relevant
What’s in a name? If it’s a tender sobriquet bestowed upon those dearest to us, it brings to mind a lovely and fragrant plant adorned with delicate blooms in a rainbow of colors.
While some might consider L. odoratus old fashioned, there’s something to be said for honoring the longevity of a plant that has remained popular for centuries. Give this beauty cool weather, a sunny spot, and even, moderate watering, and it will reward you for weeks with showy flowers.
Have you grown this well-loved annual in your garden? Share your experiences below and let us know what you love most about the gorgeous flowering sweet pea.
And for more floral delights to add to your garden, read more here:
Hi Gretchen, I am new to sweet peas but would like to grow them from seed. I live in NJ. Please advise when I should plant the seeds for spring blooms. Also, I just installed a greenhouse in my garden — so this will be my first winter with a greenhouse. I am an amateur gardener — please help!
Congratulations on your new greenhouse, Atiya! Someday I hope to have one in my garden, as well. I would start sweet pea seeds in your greenhouse about 5 weeks before the expected date of your last frost. They’ll take a couple weeks to germinate, and then give them some time to grow before moving them to the garden. You might want to harden them off before transplanting. When they’re about 4 weeks along, move them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually increasing the time they spend outside each day.
Let us know how it goes next spring!
Thank you Gretchen — I will let you know how it goes!
I LOVE all sweet peas ! I now live in Weiser id. I have tried for 4 years to grow them and they start off good, get a few blooms, then turn paper like and die. I have what I thought a great oblong pot and good soil, and a chicken wire tall sturdy frame for them. Same results every yr. They have filtered sun under a pergola. Our air can get very HOT in July. Should I try to move them to a shadier spot, not so hot? I want to try 1 more time. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
The heat could very well be the issue, Sandra. These plants do not like heat one bit.
I have to confess; I had to look up where Weiser is. I was born in Coeur d’Alene but my parents moved when I was wee. So I didn’t know where your town is! It looks quite lovely there!
I’ve had luck growing sweet peas in our zone 6 garden, where temperatures routinely hit 90F+ by the end of May, and by July stretches of a week or more where temperatures near 100F with 25 mph winds from the south are common. The trick for me is to start them early (middle of January), transplant them out weeks before the last frost (first or second week of March), growing where they get full shade in the hottest part of the day, and watering deeply every. single. day. (Except when we get half an inch or more of rain in… Read more »
Hi Gretchen, thank you for this info on sweet peas. It was a favorite of my grandmother’s and I always received a bouquet of them when we went to visit her. Now that I’m a grandmother, I have grown sweet peas for the past couple years and my granddaughter loves taking home her bouquet like I did. They are wonderful and last year my sweet peas grew to over 7 feet and hing forward from their trellis. (I’d love to share a picture but I cant seem to upload one). It was quite the sight.
What a beautiful tradition to pass along to your own granddaughter, Tonya. Thanks for sharing with us!
Sorry to hear you weren’t able to upload your photo- maybe it was too large? Please try again! We’d love to see them.
Hi, I live in New York City and I try to plant these flowers I get green vines but never get the flowers? I need help Thanks Regina
Lush green growth with no blooms can be due to an overabundance of nitrogen in the soil, or too little sun. Avoid overfertilizing, and consider planting in a different location if light exposure may be an issue. Good luck!
As I had to let a lot in the yard go this year, I discovered two large bunches of sweet peas ( strangling an old rose bush ). Can you eat the pods?
Ornamental flowering sweet peas (Lathryrus odoratus) and garden peas (Pisum sativum) are different species, and sweet pea pods should not be consumed. The seeds contain lathyrogens, which can be mildly toxic. Consuming large enough quantities of these potentially poisonous amino acids can lead to a neurological disorder known as Lathyrism.
Instead, consider saving the seeds for planting next year- maybe further away from your roses! You can find directions here.
Hi iwant to grow in Pakistan
How to get rid of ants in my sweet peas? Thankyou for any advice.
Ants can indicate the presence of aphids, and they are attracted to the sweet honeydew that aphids produce, which can in turn lead to a sooty mold problem. I’d suggest trying a strong stream from the hose to clean off the leaves, and hopefully wash away any pests that are present. If that doesn’t work, try an insecticidal soap. And next season, you may wish to companion plant with things like geraniums and cosmos that will attract predatory insects like ladybugs that feed on pests.