Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae (legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands. It is an annual climbing plant, growing to
Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae (legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands.
It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of 1–2 metres (3 ft 3 in–6 ft 7 in), where suitable support is available. The leaves are pinnate with two leaflets and a terminal tendril, which twines around supporting plants and structures, helping the sweet pea to climb. In the wild plant the flowers are purple, 2–3.5 centimetres (0.79–1.38 in) broad; they are larger and very variable in color in the many cultivars.
The annual species, L. odoratus, may be confused with the everlasting pea, L. latifolius, a perennial.
Horticultural development
Scottish nurseryman Henry Eckford (1823–1905) cross-bred and developed the sweet pea, turning it from a rather insignificant if sweetly scented flower into a floral sensation of the late Victorian era.
His initial success and recognition came while serving as head gardener for the Earl of Radnor, raising new cultivars of pelargoniums and dahlias. In 1870 he went to work for one Dr. Sankey of Sandywell near Gloucester. A member of the Royal Horticultural Society, he was awarded a First Class Certificate (the top award) in 1882 for introducing the sweet pea cultivar 'Bronze Prince', marking the start of association with the flower. In 1888 he set up his development and trial fields for sweet peas in Wem in Shropshire. By 1901, he had introduced a total of 115 of the 264 cultivars grown at the time.[3] Eckford was presented with the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour for his work. He died in 1906, but his work was continued for a time by his son John Eckford.
More recently, the association between the sweet pea, the Eckfords and Wem has been highlighted again. In the late 1980s, the Sweet Pea Society of Wem started an annual show, and the town has again taken the flower to its heart. Many of the street signs now carry a sweet-pea motif, and an area of the town is known as Eckford Park. There is also a cultivar 'Dorothy Eckford', named after a family member.
Sweet peas have been cultivated since the 17th century and a vast number of cultivars are commercially available. They are grown for their flower colour (usually in pastel shades of blue, pink, purple and white, including bi-colours), and for their intense unique fragrance. They are grown by gardeners for private enjoyment or for exhibition, and in the floristry trade. The large, pea-shaped seeds are sown in cold frames in Spring or Autumn. The seeds benefit from pre-soaking or chipping with a sharp blade. The plants are also available later in the season, as young plants or plugs. They are grown up canes, with the new shoots being regularly pinched out to promote a bushy habit and higher flower yields. Plants typically reach heights of 1-2m, with the flowers appearing in midsummer and continuing for many weeks if regularly deadheaded.
Over 50 cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. See List of AGM sweet peas
Pests and diseases
The sweet pea plant does suffer from some pests, the most common being aphids. These insects suck the sap out of the plants, reducing growth. Mosaic virus is spread by greenfly, causing yellowing of leaves, distortion of new shoots, and inhibited flowering.
A pest called the pollen beetle which is small, shiny and black, eats the pollen and disfigures the flowers. Other pests include caterpillars, thrips, slugs and snails. Another problem is mildew; this is a white powdery coating that covers the leaves and slows down growth.
The sweet pea is also susceptible to ethylene in quantities produced by senescing plants. Because of this, growers are encouraged to plant sweet peas away from fruit trees among other plants prone to early dieback or senescence.
Toxicity
Unlike the edible pea, there is evidence that seeds of members of the genus Lathyrus are toxic if ingested in quantity. A related species, Lathyrus sativus, is grown for human consumption but when it forms a major part of the diet it causes symptoms of toxicity called lathyrism.
In studies of rats, animals fed a diet of 50% sweet pea seeds developed enlarged adrenals relative to control animals fed on edible peas.[6] The main effect is thought to be on the formation of collagen. Symptoms are similar to those of scurvy and copper deficiency, which share the common feature of inhibiting proper formation of collagen fibrils. Seeds of the sweet pea contain beta-aminopropionitrile that prevents the cross-linking of collagen by inhibiting lysyl oxidase and thus the formation of hydroxylysine, leading to loose skin. Recent experiments have attempted to develop this chemical as a treatment to avoid disfiguring skin contractions after skin grafting.
To find the tracking number, see picture number 2
Important notice for buyers from Brazil and Mexico:
1. Remember that we are sending the shipment as a registered shipment (with signature confirmation) and that it can be given only by the one to whom the shipment is addressed, and that it must be signed by this person.
2. Ordering:
Always write your mobile number with the country code. Sample: +365 456 7686 576
You will receive an email notification for each step regarding your order. If you do not receive the notification, check your Spam / Junk folder, or contact your Email provider.
Once we have sent your order, you will be able to find a shipment tracking number in your order history. Keep tracking of your order using the tracking number (we cannot do that for you).
Be sure to register a valid e-mail address. You will receive notification of your order at this email address.
3. Please do not order from our site if you want to receive a shipment in a Post office box, or if you are not at home. If you do order and the shipping address is a P.O. box, and you don't get your package or the package gets lost, you lose the right to a refund.
Do not make an order from our site and leave a message: "Leave the parcel at my neighbor's house if I am not at home (read 1.) (We cannot do it)."
4. If your package comes back to us, we need to pay a return shipping fee. This means that if you want us to re-send your package, you have to pay the return shipping fee as well as the postage for sending it again.
5. If you see that tracking shows that the shipment is still in the place from where it was sent, it means only that the shipment is in transit, and other post offices and countries where the shipment is currently located do not provide data. We advise you in this case to ALWAYS CONTACT your post with a tracking number and ask them about your package.
We are not a post, so we cannot give you an answer where your parcel is located, even post cannot tell you this so long is shipment in transit.
WE ARE NOT A POST AND NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERY TIMES.
First of all, keep in mind that shipments around the world are delayed due to the situation with the coronavirus.
If you didn't get your package, We can submit a request for investigation only after 30 days have passed from the date of sending. That's why we recommend Insured shipping.
1. Priority delivery (with priority order processing):
Shipped within 1-7 business days maximum. (In some cases, there may be a delay in delivery with a delay of 3 to 10 days. Especially during the season, holidays, or public holidays.).
This means that Priority Delivery orders will be processed first from our site. Not that you will receive the order in the time it takes to process the order.
2. Secured delivery (with priority processing):
Order value up to 150 €, safe delivery. This is the safest delivery, and if the post office loses your package they will refund you.
3. Standard delivery:
Shipped within 7-10 business days. (In some cases, there may be a delay of delivery with a delay of 7 to 14 days. Especially during the season, holidays, or public holidays.)
Shipping and handling costs will be calculated automatically when ordering, and the rate depends on the weight of the parcel and the country to which it is sent.
Please note that on Saturday and Sunday we do not process orders.
1. Payment by Bank Transfer
2. Payment via PayPal
3. Payment by card on our other site https://www.exotic-seeds.store
4. Payment with cryptocurrencies Bitcoin
5. Payment by Westernunion, Moneygram
Read below for more information:
1. PAYMENT WITH BANK ACCOUNT SEPA / IBAN-SWIFT-BIC
We have several bank accounts (across the world) where you can make a payment from your local bank account without high fee provision.
Please specify your order reference in the bank payment description. (Sample "SGS-19811702") If you do not write an order reference, it can cause the problem so that we cannot find who made the payment... Always write ORDER REFERENCE.
Our system will automatically cancel the order if we have not received bank payment within 7 days.
2. PAYMENT WITH PAYPAL
For PayPal, we accept only Euro, so if you want to pay with PayPal you must change the currency in the Euro.
3. PAYMENT WITH CARDS
If you want to make a payment by card, you have to make an order on our website https://www.exotic-seeds.store/
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, CB (Cartes Bancaires), Diners Club / Discover, China UnionPay, JCB, Discovers
4. PAYMENT BY WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM
These options are available only for countries from 3rd world countries (Africa...), for other countries send us an inquiry.
As a customer, you are obliged to pay all transaction fees.
You must provide us with transaction details so that we can know that you have made the payment, as well as to withdraw the money for your order.
Please note that if you want to pay for the order this way, you are obliged to pay within 3 days.
If we do not receive your payment within 3 days, your order will be canceled and you will no longer have the option to order again with Western Union or MoneyGram.
Our system will automatically cancel the order if we have not received bank payment within 7 days.
Please always read here important notices (if there are any) to see if we maybe have the vacation or anything else in the time you ordered the seeds from us: Important Notices
Some of the products that are not in stock and their quantity is limited, you can order. But you'll have to wait up to 30 days until we get the seeds from our supplier.
If you order other products that are available, along with products that are not currently in stock, your order will be sent only when we receive a seed that is currently not available and you have ordered it.
