broad-leaved sweet pea
Lathyrus latifolius
Unlike its cousin the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus), the broad-leaved sweet pea is completely unscented.
- Scientific name
- Lathyrus latifolius
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fabales › Fabaceae › Lathyrus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Roadsides, railway embankments, forest edges, and disturbed grasslands.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (requires sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide).
- Range
- Europe, North America, North Africa, Australia
- Size
- Vines typically grow 2 to 3 meters in length.
- Lifespan
- Perennial; individual rootstocks can live for several decades.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Intensive mowing, herbicide application in urban management, and competition with more aggressive woody shrubs.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch and aesthetically pleasing. Avoid ingesting seeds or foliage, as they contain neurotoxins that can cause lathyrism if consumed in large quantities. Safe to photograph from any distance.
Lathyrus latifolius , the perennial peavine , perennial pea , broad-leaved everlasting-pea , or just everlasting pea , is a robust, sprawling perennial in the Pea Family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on other continents, such as North America and Australia, where it is most often seen along roadsides.
Photo: John Brew, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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