Classification of Sweet Pea Types
- Spencer Sweet Peas. The classic sweet pea descended from the sport of Henry Eckford’s Prima Donna which was named Countess Spencer.
- Grandiflora.
- Royal.
- Early Mulitflora Giganteas.
- Cuthbertson.
- Hammett Bi-colors and Shifters.
- Dwarfs.
- Semi-Dwarfs or Intermediates.
What is the best variety of sweet pea?
The best scented sweet peas
- Lathyrus ‘Albutt Blue’
- Lathyrus ‘America’
- Lathyrus ‘Matucana’
- Lathyrus ‘Erewhon’
- Lathyrus ‘Karen Louise’
- Lathyrus ‘Janet Scott’
- Lathyrus ‘Black Knight’
- Lathyrus ‘Bramdean’
How many varieties of sweet pea are there?
Get to know more about the sweet peas, the garden flowers with eye-catching multicolored varieties and stunning fragrance. Sweet peas have 110 species and belong to the pea-flower subfamily of the Fabaceae family.
What are the most fragrant sweet pea varieties?
Six of the best scented sweet peas
- Lathyrus odoratus ‘Linda Carole’ Launched by Derek Heathcote who has produced some fine varieties since he started his business in 1992.
- Lathyrus odoratus ‘Matucana’
- Lathyrus odoratus ‘Our Harry.
- Sweet Pea ‘Valerie Harrod.
- Grandiflora Sweet Peas.
What Colours do sweet peas come in?
Sweet peas offer one of the widest color ranges in the plant kingdom, including crimson reds, navy blues, pastel lavenders, pinks, and the purest whites. These colors are found as solid colors, bicolors, and streaked or flaked flowers.
Do sweet peas grow back every year?
Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) only live for a year, dying after setting seed. But don’t let this put you off as they are super easy to grow from seed. Perennial species such as Lathyrus latifolius come back year after year, but mostly lack fragrance and there are fewer to choose from.
Do sweet pea flowers come back every year?
Does sweet pea come back every year? Lathyrus odoratus is an annual sweet pea plant, very fragrant, and it does not come back every year. Lathyrus latifolius is a perennial sweet pea plant, it is not fragrant, but it will come back every year.
Which sweet peas have the longest stems?
Lathyrus odoratus, ‘Mammoth Crimson’
Mammoth Sweet Peas belongs to a type of sweet pea called an ‘Early Multiflora Gigantea’. Marked by the longest stems, and large fragrant blooms, they are very popular with commercial cut flower growers.
What are grandiflora sweet peas?
The more recent, modern grandiflora varieties combine the strong fragrance and colourful blooms of the original, heirloom grandifloras with the large flowers and long, straight stems of Spencer-type sweet peas. They make wonderful, exuberant cut flowers for the house. Related content: Sweet peas – Grow Guide.
What are the easiest peas to grow?
Some good varieties to try are:
- ‘Sugar Ann’: vines grow only 2 feet tall, no support required.
- ‘Sugar Snap’: The original (Calvin’s) just brought back.
- ‘Early Snap’: An early-maturing version produces peas 10 to 14 days earlier than ‘Sugar Snap’
- ‘Super Sugar Mel’: produces 4-inch-long, very sweet pods.
Why are my sweet peas not fragrant?
A: Sweet pea fragrance varies among the varieties. Some of the modern hybrids aren’t as fragrant as the older and Spencer varieties. Rain, high temperatures, time of day and the age of the flower also influence the fragrance.
What are the sweetest garden peas?
The Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea Flower
Edible pod peas are very, very sweet. They are a great way to introduce children to vegetable gardening because often the pea pods are so sweet that they rival candy and can be eaten fresh off the vine.
Which are the best sweet pea seeds?
Sweet peas are the classic annual climber and look just as lovely in pots as they do in a border. ‘Spencer Mix’ has large flowers and long stems, good for cutting, but ‘Cupani’ and ‘Painted Lady’ are particularly good as their short stems give good coverage of the support and they’re extremely fragrant.
How long do sweet pea plants last?
one year
Sweet peas are a summer flowering annual. This means that they germinate, grow, flower, set seed and die all in one year and have to be re-grown each year.
What month do sweet peas flower?
when are sweet peas in season? The main flowering season for sweet peas is June and July but they can start earlier or go on later, depending on when you sowed and planted them . Keep watering, feeding and deadheading to prolong their season.
Why are my sweet peas all white?
Powdery mildew in peas often develops quickly when days are warm and dry, but nights are chilly with dewy mornings. Poorly drained soil and restricted air circulation also contribute to development of the disease.
Do sweet peas need deadheading?
Sweet peas are easy to grow in any fertile soil that drains easily, in full sun. Feed weekly or fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser and ensure a regular supply of flowers by picking or deadheading.
Should I remove sweet pea pods?
Once your sweet pea plants are in full flower make sure that you dead-head them and remove seed pods as soon as possible to encourage more blooms to be produced.
How do I keep my sweet peas flowering?
Lack of flowers can also sometimes be a result of too much nitrogen fertiliser, which produces tall, leafy plants but no flowers. To overcome this, feed the sweet peas with either a high phosphorus feed or some bone meal.
Do sweet peas need a trellis?
Because Sweet Peas are vining, they need support to grow up and flower. Many types of structures can work such as a trellis, supports with mesh or twine, or fences. They need a structure that is well anchored in the ground to support the weight of the vines.
Do sweet peas need sun or shade?
Plant sweet peas in an open, sunny position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil. Sweet peas are well suited to growing in pots – make sure you use a good, peat-free compost with a slow-release fertiliser mixed in.