Everlasting Pea

Lathyrus

Lathyrus aureus
A perennial, reaching up to 2 feet in height, that is native to woodlands from Romania to the Caucasus; south to northern Turkey.
The pinnate leaves are composed of 3 to 6 pairs of leaflets.
The yellow flowers, up to 0.8 inches long, later fade to orange.

Lathytus heterophyllus
A climber, reaching up to 4 feet, that is native to central and southern Europe.
The purplish-pink flowers are borne during mid-summer.

Lathyrus japonicus ( Beach Pea )
A trailing perennial with stems up to 5 ( rarely over 2.6 ) feet long, that is native to sandy and gravelly beaches, often against driftwood, in Eurasia and North America. In North America, it is found on the west coast from Alaska to northern California, Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, in the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain in Vermont and on the east coast from Labrador and Newfoundland, south to New Jersey. It is endangered in Indiana, its only remaining occurrance is within Indiana Dunes State Park where it was once common but has declined due to recreational pressures. It is also endangered in Ohio and Pennsylvania, extinct in Illiois. It is common on the Lake Superior shoreline of Minnesota and common on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
The pinnate leaves are composed of 6 to 10 smooth-edged, lance-shaped to oval leaflets. The foliage is bright green.
The purple ( later turning blue ) flowers, up to 0.8 inches long, are borne 5 to 12 per cluster, during early summer.
Requires full sun and sandy soil. They are followed by hairy pods, up to 2.8 x 0.3 inches in size.
Plants grown in nurseries and planted out in the fall have a better survival rate, through they can also be planted out on dunes during the spring then watered every 2 to 3 days for the first summer. The seeds can last up to 5 years while floating on water due to their hard coat.

* photos taken on July 9 2022 in Bayfield, ON

Lathyrus latifolius ( Everlasting Pea )
A vigorous, perennial vine, reaching up to 10 feet in height, that is native to Eurasia ( from France to Poland to southern Russia; south to Portugal to the Caucasus ). It is commonly found naturalized in the British Isles and North America. It is locally naturalized on roadsides and in old fields in eastern North America to as far north as Tobermory, Ontario. This herbaceous vine originates from a thick root stock.
The leaves, up to 6 x 2 inches in size, are composed of oval leaflets, up to 3.5 x 2 inches in size. The foliage is dull green.
The flowers, up to 1 x 0.7 inches, are borne early summer to early autumn. The flowers can be white, pink or purple.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun on fertile, sandy to humus-rich, well drained soil. It prefers climates with cool summers.

Excellent external link:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=120&taxon_id=242442441

* photo taken on Aug 2 2012 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos taken on Aug 1 2013 in Goderich, Ontario

* photos taken on Aug 4 2013 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos taken on July 14 2016 in Tobermory, ON

* photos taken on July 16 2016 in Bayfield, ON

* photo taken on July 16 2018 @ Wye Marsh, Midland, ON

* photos taken on July 7 2023 in Bayfield, ON

'Lancer'
text coming soon

* Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.

Lathyrus nigra ( Black Pea )
Reaches up to 3 feet in height.
The foliage turns to black during autumn.
The small purplish ( later fading to blue ) flowers are borne on long sprays.

Lathyrus roseus
A bushy, upright, clumping perennial, reaching up to 2.5 x 3 feet in size, that is native to the Caucasus Mountains in southwest Asia. It is found in open spruce, pine and oak forest in the wild.
The leaves are composed of 2 pairs of obovate leaflets, each up to 1.8 x 1.2 inches in size. The foliage is luxuriant bright green. The leaves do not have tendrils.
The intense mid-pink flowers are borne 1 to 4 per stalk during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on just about any well drained soil of average moisture.

Lathyrus rotundifolius
A perennial, reaching up to 6.5 x 1.5 feet, that is native to pine forests and meadows from the Caucasus; south to northern Turkey to northern Iran.
The leaves are composed of oval to rounded leaflets that are borne in pairs. The foliage is deep green.
The rosy-pink flowers, up to 1 inch across, are borne on clusters of up to 10 all summer long.
Hardy zones 6 to 8 in full sun to partial shade.

Lathyrus venetus
A shrubby perennial, reaching up to 2 feet, that is native to both grasslands and open woodlands from Italy to central Russia; south to northern Turkey.
The pinnate foliage is glossy bright green. The ovate leaves, up to 2.8 inches in length, are borne in 2 to 4 pairs.
The reddish-purple ( veined darker ) flowers, up to 0.6 inches long, are borne on dense racemes during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on moist, deep, fertile, well drained soil. It is very tolerant of alkaline soil. Propagation is from seed soaked in water for 24 hours before sowing during spring.

Lathyrus vernus ( Spring Vetchling )
A deep-rooted, upright, bushy perennial, reaching up to 2 x 1.7 feet, that is a widespread Eurasian native ( from France to eastern Siberia; south to the Alps to northern Turkey to the Caucasus ).
The pinnate foliage is glossy bright green. The ovate leaves, up to 4 x 1.2 ( rarely over 2.8 ) inches in size, are borne in 2 to 3 pairs.
The rosy-purple ( white, pink or blue in some cultivars ) flowers, up to 0.7 x 0.5 inches across, are borne during mid to late spring. The flowers are great for attracting honey bees.
They are followed by pods up to 2.3 x 0.3 inches in size.
Hardy zones 3b to 6 in full sun to partial shade on moist, deep, fertile, well drained soil. It is very tolerant of alkaline soil. It prefers cooler, less humid summers. Propagation is from seed soaked in water for 24 hours before sowing during spring.

'Alboroseus'
Pink and white bicolored flowers; otherwise identical to species.

* photo of unknown internet source

'Albus'
Flowers are white.

'Caeruleus'
Flowers are blue.

'Rosea'
Flowers are pink.