The Everlasting Sweetpea is a herbaceaous perennials unlike it’s annual cousins. Lathyrus latifolia is the latin name of everlasting sweet peas and there are several varieties including this ‘Pink Pearl’, ‘Red Pearl’ and I also have an unnamed variety that is a blueish white. I have grown mine from seed but you can also take cuttings in early summer.
If you can forget comparisons with annual sweet peas you will find these rapidly growing climbers a great asset in your garden. They will scramble over an untidy compost heap, grow up a tall shrub or twine over a specific frame. Ever popular, this plant is smothered in showy sprays of legume like flowers from June to September among grey-green leaves. A vigorous, perennial climber, it looks lovely scrambling over a sunny wall or through a hedge or evergreen shrub, although initially it needs to be tied into supports.
Growing Healthy Everlasting Sweetpeas
- Unlike the annual sweet pea, it has no fragrance.
- The flower stems are long and graceful and are good for cutting.
- Pinching out growing tips would encourage bushy growth but I find they get on fine if left alone.
- They like organic matter in the soil and will grow in light shade.
- In one season they will grow to 7 or 8 feet and then I cut them down to ground level in winter.
- They seem to be very accommodating plants with a good show of blossom in late summer until the first frosts
Sweet Peas at T&M
I just love the idea of having everlasting sweet pea in my cottage garden, can I ask how hardy they are, and can I grow them behing shrubs on a wall, with wire, or do I need some kind of structure?
They are very hardy in the North of England. They disappear over winter but have resurfaced every summer for the last 30+ Years
Can you lift these plants and transfer to a different location, if so when is the best time to do this?
I have just tried this autumn for the first time.
The length of root astounded me and I broke some off! I put my chances at 50:50 but if you take more care you should be OK moving it in the next 8 weeks.