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Perennial Pea, Sweet Pea, Everlasting Pea - Lathyrus latifolius


Family: Fabaceae - Pea family Genus Common Name: Pea Native Status: IntroducedDicot Perennial Vine Herb
Lathyrus latifolius - Perennial Pea, Sweet Pea, Everlasting Pea. Vine to 6 feet long with winged stems, petioles, and peduncles which uses petiole-terminating tendrils to climb. One to several pink to magenta butterfly-like blossoms on smooth, unwinged pedicels.

This is a non-native species that can be weedy and invasive, as is indicated by its spread to almost every state in the United States. If you are looking to plant, there are better choices which are native to the United States, such as the Butterfly Pea.

Found in:
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY

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Lathyrus latifolius

Distribution of Lathyrus latifolius in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
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Site: Hamilton County, TN Date: 2009-October-01Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Lathyrus latifolius has butterfly-like blossom typical of the pea family, with a lower keel of two fused petals below, and two wing petals above.
Lathyrus latifolius
Site: Hamilton County, TN Date: 2009-October-01Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Note the elongated leaves attached to a winged petiole. The stem is similarly winged. The tendrils terminate the petiole.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Lathyrus latifolius
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Lathyrus latifolius initially published on USWildflowers.com 2009-10-02; Updated 2017-01-22

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer



Code Update 20230302