This perennial British native sweet pea is now rather rare. Known as the Wood Pea, or Narrow Leaved Sweet Pea, it throws out enormous numbers of flesh pink but unfragrant flowers on strong stems, being even more vigorous and floriferous than Lathyrus latifolius (also available). This most attractive native wild flower can occasionally be found growing in thickets and woods throughout the country. With its rather handsome, leathery, sword-like leaves and delightfully coloured, rose-pink flowers variegated with pale crimson, violet and green, produced during most of the Summer, it is certainly one wild flower that would merit a place in any garden.
Easier to grow than annual sweet peas and you have the advantage that it comes back year after year. It's herbaceous, so dies back to the ground in Winter and springs back to life in March. Will happily climb a trellis or net but is equally capable of scrambling through a shrub etc. Very vigorous. This is a deciduous climber and will die back completely during the Winter before reappearing the following Spring. Removing spent flowers will prolong the flowering season. Will self seed if left to sow and will also spread by producing rhizomes. Can be clipped back hard after flowering to prevent self-seeding.
For planting instructions please visit our Sowing Instructions page.