Lathyrus latifolius Red Pearl - Broadleaf Sweetpea

The Lathyrus latifolius 'Red Pearl', also known as Broad-leaved Vetch 'Red Pearl', is a carmine pink version of the broad-leaved vetch. This adorable little climbing herbaceous plant offers clusters of large papilionaceous flowers from June to September, in a very bright pink, almost red. The plant attaches itself to its support thanks to tendrils that suspend its matte green foliage and broad flattened stems, or crawls on the ground freely. It is a hardy and drought-resistant plant that enjoys sunlight and a well-drained, rather fertile soil.

Introduced before 1635, the perennial pea became popular in the 1900s; it was often cultivated on a floral cage, a very fashionable accessory in Victorian England. This vetch is a plant from the fabaceae family native to Chile, and grows well in sunny fallow land on rather limestone soil. With rapid growth, the stems develop tendrils that attach themselves to the support you have provided when planting. Growing from a large fleshy root, this plant easily reaches 1.80 m (6ft) in a few months. Flowering takes place from June/July to September, providing it does not lack water. Its papilionaceous flowers, 2 to 3 cm (1in) long, are grouped in axillary clusters of 10 to 15 flowers. It is an excellent cut flower. If it likes its environment, the perennial pea is so vigorous that it can become invasive by abundant self-seeding.

This charming plant has more than one asset: crisp bluish foliage, small clusters of tightly curled buds, and finally, the vivacity of its carmine pink flowers. It thrives in warm and sunny places as well as in well-drained or even rocky soils. It is a perfect plant to quickly dress up a brand new garden, a slightly wild area, sad branches of conifers or deflowered spring flowering bushes, including roses. Easy to grow, the large seeds of Lathyrus latifolius are easy to handle and can be easily sown by children. This perennial pea is perfect for embellishing a trellis, a fence, and even a pot on the terrace throughout the summer, by mixing pink, red, and white varieties. This pea is an aerial vagabond with a formidable base. If it settles in the garden, it multiplies and spreads at will, attacking other perennials without suffocating them under its light weight. In a bouquet, it remains beautiful for several days, with buds opening in white tinged with green, very refined and blending well with a few spikes of Buddleia that provide the missing fragrance.