Sweet pea
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.
| 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 |
Cut on a diagonal, fresh cool water. Handle by the stem, not the delicate blossoms.
- •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)
3 named sweet pea cultivars from the Lacy Bird master catalogue — each a distinct commercial variety.
Entries marked ✦ come from the Acanta master catalogue — the shared database of cut flowers, forms, colours and named varieties that florists and studios build on. The rest are our editorial genus reference. What is Acanta →
Bouquet Builder — by Lacy BirdDesign the bouquet. See it as a photo.
Botanical reference
- Common name
- Guisante de Olor
- Also known as
- Lathyrus cyprius, Lathyrus maccaguenii, Lathyrus odoratus albus, Lathyrus odoratus ater, Lathyrus odoratus carneus, Lathyrus odoratus pardalinus, Lathyrus odoratus pleniflorus, Lathyrus odoratus roseoalbus, Lathyrus odoratus roseovittata, Lathyrus odoratus siculus, Lathyrus odoratus vulgaris, Lathyrus odoratus zeylanicus
- Distribution
- Caribbean, Global, Italy, North America, Sicilia
- Cold storage
- 0–1 °C
- Uses
- fodder
Open-data sources: GBIF, Wikidata (CC0/CC BY), USDA Agriculture Handbook 66 (public domain)
Frequently asked questions
When is Sweet pea in season?
Sweet pea peaks in April, May, June, and florists can usually source it February to July. Availability shifts by region and greenhouse supply.
How long does Sweet pea last in a vase?
Expect 3–5 days with proper conditioning — a clean vase, fresh water every couple of days, flower food, and a cool spot away from ripening fruit and direct heat.
What can I use instead of Sweet pea?
Good substitutes for Sweet pea include Freesia, Phlox. Match on look, colour and season — our substitute finder ranks the closest alternatives.
What does Sweet pea symbolise?
Sweet pea is associated with blissful pleasure, departure, goodbye (Victorian meaning).
How do you care for cut Sweet pea?
Short vase life (3–5 days) — plan for day-of-event use
Related flowers
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Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — “Sweet pea”. https://lacybird.com/flowers/sweet-pea/<a href="https://lacybird.com/flowers/sweet-pea/">Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — Sweet pea</a>