All flowers
Everlasting Pea Wikimedia Commons
Fabaceae

Everlasting Pea

Lathyrus latifolius

lasting pleasure and departure.

Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Lathyrus
Native to
Southern Europe
Bloom season
Summer
Type
herbaceous perennial vine
Height
1.5-3 m
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, average
Water
moderate
Hardiness
4-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Unlike its cousin the sweet pea, the everlasting pea is a tough perennial that returns year after year without replanting.
  • It lacks the famous fragrance of sweet peas but compensates with extreme vigor and long blooming period.
  • The plant climbs using tendrils that coil around supports with remarkable sensitivity to touch.
  • It has naturalized widely in North America and can sometimes be seen sprawling along roadsides and railroad embankments.
  • Thomas Jefferson grew everlasting peas at Monticello and recorded them in his extensive garden journals.

Color meanings

0

lasting pleasure

1

departure

2

blissful pleasure

3

gentle memories

Uses

  • fences and trellises
  • bank stabilization
  • cottage gardens
  • cut flowers