The Sweet Pea - botanical name Lathyrus odoratus, nickname Queen of Annuals
Rightly deserving of its regal title, the Sweet Pea flower has charmed gardeners for centuries. Its popularity can be traced back to 1699, when Franciscus Cupani sent seeds of a wild Sicilian variety to Dr. Robert Uvedale in England. Since then, Sweet Peas have flourished in gardens worldwide. Today, the UK National Collection boasts over 1,300 species and cultivars.
Known for their tendency to mutate, Sweet Peas display remarkable diversity in form, colour, and fragrance. To help navigate this variety, they are often grouped into distinct categories.
Sweet Pea Types
Grandiflora
Coined by Henry Eckford in the late 19th century, "Grandiflora" described the larger-flowered varieties he bred. These Sweet Peas feature plain petals, a clamped keel, and usually three (sometimes four) blooms per stem. They are renowned for their strong, intense fragrance and are sometimes referred to as old-fashioned Sweet Peas, although I think this title does them a disservice!
Spencer
A new era began in 1901 at the National Sweet Pea Society exhibition, when the variety Countess Spencer, bred by the Earl Spencer’s head gardener was unveiled. Spencer types are distinguished by larger, frilly petals, an open keel, and longer stems, often carrying four or more blooms. While generally less fragrant than Grandifloras, their elegant form and showy blooms make them ideal for cut flowers and exhibitions.
Early Flowering
Most Spencer Sweet Peas require about 12 hours of sunlight to initiate flowering. However, some varieties need less, earning them the label early flowering. Cultivars like Spring Sunshine and Piggy Sue can flower with only 11 hours of daylight, offering gardeners a valuable head start to the season.
Sweet Pea Flower Colours & Patterns
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Bicolour – Standard petals are darker, while the wings appear in a lighter contrasting colour.
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Flake – Petals show flakes or streaks of colour on both sides.
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Picotee – Edged with a contrasting colour, most often on white or cream petals.
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Shifter – A modern type that changes colour as the flowers age.
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Stripe – Similar to Flakes, but the striping is limited to the back of the standard petal and the top of the wings, and the addition of a solid picotee edge.
Whether you’re sowing Sweet Peas for garden display, exhibition, or cut flowers, there is an amazing array to choose from. With their history, fragrance, and sheer beauty, it’s no wonder they continue to reign as the Queen of Annuals.
If you're looking to find out how to sow Sweet Peas and when is the best time to sow Sweet Peas, click here to go to our sowing and growing advice page.
