Wild Sweet Pea Plant Identification
The wild sweet pea is the species odoratus within the Lathyrus genus, which is a member of the Fabaceae family. The Lathyrus odoratus originated in Italy but can now be found in most parts of North America. The wild sweet pea is planted as a vine in gardens, where it will grow around wood and metal fencing and wire. To correctly identify the Lathryus odoratus, knowledge is needed of the plant's form and structural features, foliage and flowers, and climate and habitat in which it thrives. Does this Spark an idea?
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Form and Structure
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The average height of a mature wild sweet pea plant is 4 to 6 feet. This height is achieved by vines, stemlike extensions that cling to any firm, narrow (wire, netting) structure. The stems that compose the vine structure are thin, .25 to .1 an inch in width or less, and are light green to green. Stems will shoot out from other stems at 45- to 90-degree angles.
Foliage and Flowers
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The leaves are light green, green or dark green, are oval and come to a point at the tip. The average leaf width is .25 to 1 inch. Flowers are hermaphroditic-they can be male or female-and are described as "ruffled." They are white to pinkish-white in color. Cultivars, or varieties of the main species, can have blue, purple or red flowers. The average width of a flower is 1.75 to 2.75 inches.
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Climate
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The wild sweet pea is hardy in all USDA zones. The plant can survive in all of North America, but it can thrive, and grow and spread aggressively, in California, Utah, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, New York, Maine, the Carolinas and Ontario.
Habitat
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The plant grows in several different soil types: sand, loam and clay. The preferred soil pH is mildly alkaline (7.6 to 7.8), but it can survive in mildly acidic to neutral soils (5.0 to 6.8) as well. The diversity of hardiness zones is reflected by the plant's ability to survive in full sun, partial sun and partial shade.
Considerations
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Despite the name, the wild sweet pea is not edible, as all parts of the plant are toxic. And despite the toxicity, the flower's oil is used in perfumes. The plant's flowers will bloom at the beginning of summer and fall.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit sweet pea image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
