Sweet peas, of which there are around 160 wild species and cultivated forms, belong to the legume family. The pretty plants are mainly found in the northern, temperate regions. The annual sweet pea, which is cultivated in many gardens, does not belong to the genus of vetches, as is often assumed, but is a subspecies of the common vetch pea. Nevertheless, we would like to dedicate this article to this pretty ornamental plant, as it is also referred to as vetch in our usage.

Sweet pea is often considered a weed

Large-flowered vetch (Vicia grandiflora)

  • Also thrives wild in Germany. It was brought in from southern Europe and ran wild.
  • Growth height thirty to sixty centimeters.
  • Very large flowers of creamy white.
  • Extremely decorative when cultivated as a herbaceous perennial.

Bridle Vetch (Vicia sepium)

  • Perennial, herbaceous vetch species.
  • Thrives wild and multiplies profusely, which is why it is often counted among the weeds.
  • Growth height thirty to sixty centimeters.
  • Blue-red flower.
  • Popular fodder plant because it contains a lot of protein.

Tanger vetch, Moroccan vetch (Lathyrus tingitanus)

  • Originally thrives wild in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.
  • Perennial but not frost tolerant, for this reason it is mostly cultivated as an annual in our latitudes.
  • Ideal for climbing fences and bare areas, but needs a climbing aid.
  • Growth height up to two meters.
  • Special feature: Unlike most Lathyrus species, this vetch forms flattened, relatively large, square seeds.

Sweet pea (Lathyus odoratus)

  • In England, where these sweet peas are extremely popular, they are known as the 'Queen of Annuals'.
  • Only thrives once a year and dies in autumn after the seeds have ripened.
  • Climbing vetches that can grow up to two meters high.
  • Flowers come in many different colors from white to blue to red.
  • Strongly scented.

Sweet Vetch (Lathyrus latifolius)

  • Perennial climber, relatively hardy.
  • Growth height between 1.50 and 2 meters.
  • Without a climbing aid, the perennial vetch is also suitable as an attractive ground cover.
  • Naturalizes strongly through self-sowing, therefore remove faded flowers if possible.
  • Depending on the variety, the flowers are pink, white or purple-red.
  • The flowers are not fragrant.

Vetch (Vicia cracca)

  • Thrives wild in meadows, along roadsides and in sparse, grassy forests.
  • Grows up to a meter tall.
  • Perennial perennial plant.
  • Forms up to thirty centimeters deep roots and thrives on all soils.

tips

Many of the vetches cultivated in gardens and growing wild are slightly poisonous in all parts of the plant, especially the seeds. Therefore, sweet peas should not be planted in gardens where small children play unsupervised.

Category:

Vegetable garden