Lathyrus: The Sweet Scent of Romance and Delicate Joy
Lathyrus, commonly known as Sweet Pea, is a beautifully fragrant climbing flower adored for its soft petals, ruffled blooms, and pastel colour palette. Native to the Mediterranean, it has been a favourite in gardens and bouquets for centuries. Sweet peas are especially valued for their heavenly fragrance, often described as a mix of honey and orange blossom. In the language of flowers, they symbolise blissful pleasure, gratitude, goodbyes, and delicate affection—making them popular in spring weddings and vintage-style arrangements.
COMMON NAME
Sweet Pea
BOTANICAL NAME
Lathyrus odoratus
ORIGIN
Sicily, southern Italy, Aegean Islands
FLOWERING TIME
Spring to early summer (April to June)
ASPECT
Full sun, rich well-drained soil
SYMBOLISM
Gratitude, departure, bliss, delicate pleasure
How to Care for Cut Sweet Peas in a Vase
Trim stems at an angle: Use a sharp knife to cut the stem ends diagonally — ideally under running water to prevent air bubbles from entering the stems.
Change water every 1–2 days: Sweet peas are exceptionally sensitive to bacteria in the water — more frequent changes than with most flowers are essential for maintaining freshness.
Use cool water without floral food: Sweet peas prefer clean, cool water. Floral preservatives containing sugar can accelerate bacterial growth and shorten their vase life.
Keep in a cool spot: Place the vase away from direct sunlight, heat sources, draughts, and ripening fruit. Sweet peas are particularly sensitive to ethylene and heat — both factors dramatically shorten their vase life.
Remove spent blooms: Regularly remove wilted flowers — this encourages remaining buds to open and extends the freshness of the whole composition.
Buy with buds: When purchasing, choose stems with as many closed buds as possible — they will open gradually over several days, prolonging the fresh appearance of the bouquet.
Vase life: With proper care, sweet peas last 3–5 days in a vase. This is shorter than most flowers, but their unique fragrance and delicate beauty make every day worthwhile.
Care Tips for Lathyrus in the Garden or Pot
Sunlight: Prefers full sun for best flower production.
Soil: Needs rich, well-drained soil—add compost before planting.
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist, especially during flowering. Avoid drying out.
Support: As a climber, provide trellises, obelisks, or netting for vertical growth.
Feeding: Apply a low-nitrogen fertiliser every 2–3 weeks during blooming.
Deadheading: Remove spent blooms regularly to prolong flowering.
Sowing: Sow in early spring or autumn (in mild climates); soak seeds overnight before planting for better germination.
Symbolism & Meaning
Sweet peas are strongly associated with gratefulness and saying goodbye—they are often used in parting bouquets or "thank you" gifts. Their light, fluttery blooms represent delicacy, appreciation, and romantic charm. With their nostalgic scent, they also evoke a sense of innocence, gentle joy, and sentimentality, perfect for vintage themes and personal floral arrangements.
Types of Lathyrus
‘Old Spice’ – Heirloom variety with strong fragrance and soft pastel tones.
‘Spencer’ series – Large, ruffled blooms, ideal for cut flowers and floral design.
‘Cupani’ – A historic cultivar with small, highly scented deep purple and violet flowers.
Dwarf varieties – Such as ‘Little Sweetheart’, suited for containers and hanging baskets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lathyrus
Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are famous for their intensely sweet, floral fragrance. The scent is often described as a mix of orange blossom, honey, and jasmine, with a powdery, nostalgic note that makes them a favourite in perfume and cut flower arrangements. Some modern hybrids may have less scent, so choose heirloom or highly scented varieties if fragrance is important to you.
Due to its very short season, limited availability and vase life sweet pea is not stocked in every florist in Poland — it is strongly recommended to order well in advance, particularly for weddings.
Sweet pea is one of the more delicate cut flowers — with proper care it lasts 3 to 5 days in a vase. This is shorter than most popular flowers, so it is worth buying it close to the planned occasion and avoiding heat and draughts. The key to extending vase life is: cutting stems at an angle, changing water every 1–2 days, keeping in a cool spot, and removing spent blooms. Despite its short vase life, sweet pea is worth every day — its fragrance and delicate beauty are absolutely unique.
Cut sweet peas work best in light, airy compositions where their delicate, ruffled flowers and twining tendrils can breathe freely — tight, compact bouquets do not allow them to show their full charm. They absolutely dominate in spring and summer wedding bouquets in garden, rustic, and vintage styles — where their pastel colour palette (powder pink, lavender, salmon, white, and deep purple) harmonises beautifully with roses, peonies, lisianthus, and gypsophila. Sweet peas work excellently as a filler flower in loose, natural compositions — their twining stems and tendrils add an unmatched lightness and movement to bouquets. They are also ideal for small, intimate bridesmaid bouquets, hair flowers, and buttonholes.
Due to their short vase life they are not suited to large, formal event decorations that need to look immaculate for many hours — they are better reserved for hand-held bouquets and small table compositions. Avoid combining them with ethylene-producing flowers or flowers with a very strong, dominant fragrance — sweet peas deserve to have their aroma heard.