Sweet Pea ‘Chloranthus’

Lathyrus chloranthus

Features

  • Cut-and-come-again
  • Foliage & Filler
  • Toxic
  • Vine

Description

I’ve longed to grow these sweet peas for many years and have finally gotten my hands on some of this hard-to-find seed. Delicate vines are covered in the most unusual acid-green miniature-flowered sweet peas that look like tiny alien faces. As blooms age, the backs of the petals show copper-orange veining. While the flowers don’t have any fragrance, they are worth growing for their unusual coloring and ability to double as a foliage. This variety has a thicker-than-average seed coating and will take longer to germinate than other varieties.

Please note: Unlike garden peas, sweet pea seeds are poisonous if ingested. Use caution around children and pets.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 4 to 6 ft
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 80 days
Plant spacing: 8 in
Pinch: when 4 to 6 in tall

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

In mild areas, seed can be sown in pots in the fall, overwintered in a sheltered spot, and planted out in spring. Everywhere else, sow seed 10 to 12 weeks before last frost and transplant out right around last frost. Provide a strong trellis or support for vines to climb.

Harvesting/Vase Life

While flowers are beautiful, their stems are so short that they are not typically grown as a cut flower. Instead of harvesting individual blooms, harvest entire vining stems. Expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days.

Details

Description

I’ve longed to grow these sweet peas for many years and have finally gotten my hands on some of this hard-to-find seed. Delicate vines are covered in the most unusual acid-green miniature-flowered sweet peas that look like tiny alien faces. As blooms age, the backs of the petals show copper-orange veining. While the flowers don’t have any fragrance, they are worth growing for their unusual coloring and ability to double as a foliage. This variety has a thicker-than-average seed coating and will take longer to germinate than other varieties.

Please note: Unlike garden peas, sweet pea seeds are poisonous if ingested. Use caution around children and pets.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 4 to 6 ft
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 80 days
Plant spacing: 8 in
Pinch: when 4 to 6 in tall

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

In mild areas, seed can be sown in pots in the fall, overwintered in a sheltered spot, and planted out in spring. Everywhere else, sow seed 10 to 12 weeks before last frost and transplant out right around last frost. Provide a strong trellis or support for vines to climb.

Harvesting/Vase Life

While flowers are beautiful, their stems are so short that they are not typically grown as a cut flower. Instead of harvesting individual blooms, harvest entire vining stems. Expect a vase life of 7 to 10 days.

Sources

How to Grow

How to Grow

How to Start Flowers from Seed
How To Grow Sweet Peas
Success with Sweet Peas
Fabulous Foliages and Fillers
Easy-to-grow Hardy Annuals
How to Start Flowers from Seed
How To Grow Sweet Peas
Success with Sweet Peas
Fabulous Foliages and Fillers
Easy-to-grow Hardy Annuals

Winter Mini Course

Learn how to start flowers from seed in this three-part video series

In our upcoming Winter Mini Course, you’ll learn everything you need to know to successfully start flowers from seed, including all of the necessary supplies, step-by-step instructions, special tips and tricks, and how to create a simple indoor seed-starting area.