filler · moderate · premium
Sweet pea
Lathyrus odoratus
Sweet peas are the honey-scented, tissue-paper flower of spring — beloved by wedding florists but unforgiving in vase life. The Winter Sunshine series (Japanese-bred) reaches 50 cm stems and lasts up to 5 days; classic garden sweet peas last barely 3. Both are worth the trouble for the fragrance alone.
At a glance
| Family | Fabaceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | Mediterranean; commercially grown Italy, UK, Japan, California |
| Peak season | April, May, June |
| Availability | February to July |
| Stem length | 25–40 cm |
| Vase life | 3–5 days |
| Colors | white, cream, blush, pink, coral, red, burgundy, purple, lavender, bicolor |
| Price tier | premium |
Conditioning
Cut on a diagonal, fresh cool water. Handle by the stem, not the delicate blossoms.
Care in the vase
- •Short vase life (3–5 days) — plan for day-of-event use
- •Legendary fragrance — sweet, honey-like
- •Delicate, papery petals bruise easily
- •Japanese growers produce super-premium 50 cm stems (Winter Sunshine series)
