What is a Sweet Pea?
A Sweet Pea, also known as Lathyrus Odoratus, is an annual garden climbing plant from the legume family Fabaceae. Sweet Peas have a Mediterranean origin, but now thrive worldwide. They are very popular with gardeners as they are attractive and easy to grow. The Sweet Pea plant, if properly supported, can grow up to four to six feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) tall. The compound leaves consist of two leaflets with a tendril in the middle. It is this tendril that grasps a support and helps the plant climb. Sweet Pea flowers are fragrant, delicate-looking and a single bloom has three or four florets on a stem. While Wild Sweet Peas come in a few select colors, specially cultivated varieties or cultivars are available in a very wide profusion of colors. Sweet Pea cultivars have been grown since the seventeenth century. Henry Eckford, a Victorian-era Scottish horticulturist, introduced over 115 varieties. He was responsible for the Sweet Pea’s transformation from an ordinary garden flower to a show
