Sweet pea Lathyrus odoratus 'Millennium'
ABOUT
The sweet pea 'Millennium' boasts a vibrant display of colorful flowers that are renowned for their delightfully sweet fragrance. These blossoms typically present in a range of shades, often featuring deep, rich purples and pinks that can captivate the senses of both sight and smell. The petals are delicately arranged, with a standard petal flanked by wing petals, creating a whimsical, butterfly-like appearance. Each flower is perched atop a slender, green stem, which is appointed with pairs of leaflets that gracefully unfurl in a feather-like fashion. The foliage of the sweet pea 'Millennium' is bright green, providing an attractive contrast to the colorful flowers. This plant is known for its climbing habit, commonly using tendrils to grasp onto supports, which allows the spectacle of blooms to ascend and produce a vertical display of floral beauty. Overall, the appearance of the sweet pea 'Millennium' is both elegant and enchanting, making it a beloved choice for gardeners seeking to add both color and fragrance to their gardens.
About this plant
NamesFamily
Fabaceae.
Synonyms
Sweet Pea, Everlasting Pea.
Common names
Lathyrus odoratus 'Millennium'.
ToxicityTo humans
Sweet pea is generally considered to have low toxicity for humans. However, if ingested in large quantities, the seeds can be harmful because they contain a compound called Lathyrogens, which can cause a condition known as lathyrism if consumed over a long period or in large amounts. Lathyrism can result in symptoms such as paralysis, labored breathing, convulsions, and potentially can be fatal. Casual contact or ingestion of the leaves and flowers of the plant in small quantities is unlikely to cause serious problems, but eating the seeds especially in larger amounts should be avoided due to the potential risk of toxicity.
To pets
Sweet pea is toxic to pets, especially to dogs and cats. Ingestion of the seeds can cause lathyrism, leading to symptoms such as lethargy, weakness, trembling, seizures, and potentially might be fatal if consumed in large enough quantities. While the flowers and leaves are less toxic than the seeds, it is still best to prevent your pets from ingesting any part of the plant. Ingestion of sweet pea should be treated as a veterinary emergency.
CharacteristicsLife cycle
Annuals
Foliage type
Deciduous
Color of leaves
Green
Flower color
Varies
Height
6 feet (1.83 meters)
Spread
1 foot (0.30 meters)
Plant type
Climber
Hardiness zones
2
Native area
Mediterranean
Benefits
General Benefits- Aesthetic Appeal: Adds vivid color and visual interest to gardens with its varied and vibrant blooms.
- Fragrance: Emits a pleasing scent that can enhance the sensory experience of a garden or indoor space.
- Pollinator Attraction: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators, supporting local ecosystems.
- Easy to Grow: Recognized for being easy to cultivate and maintain, making it a good choice for novice gardeners.
- Versatility: Can be grown in a variety of settings such as borders, containers, and as cut flowers in floral arrangements.
- Fast Growth: Exhibits rapid growth, allowing gardeners to enjoy its blooms relatively quickly after planting.
- Diversity: Offers a range of colors and forms, providing plenty of options for garden design and personal preference.
Medical PropertiesThis plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying QualitiesThis plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses- Cut flower arrangements: Lathyrus odoratus 'Millennium', commonly known as sweet pea, is highly valued for its fragrant flowers, which make beautiful and scented arrangements in vases.
- Garden photography: The vibrant and colorful blooms of sweet pea are often used as subjects for garden photography, helping amateur and professional photographers alike to create stunning natural images.
- Art inspiration: Artists may use the striking appearance of sweet pea flowers as inspiration for paintings, drawings, and various other forms of visual art.
- Education and research: Horticulture students and plant researchers might grow sweet pea to study its growth patterns, genetics, or response to various environmental conditions.
- Natural dye: The petals of sweet pea, particularly the darker colored varieties, can be used to create natural dyes for fabric or art projects.
- Crafting potpourri: Dried sweet pea flowers can be added to potpourri mixes for their pleasant fragrance that can freshen up living spaces.
- Wedding bouquets and decorations: Due to their beauty and scent, sweet pea flowers are often incorporated into wedding bouquets, corsages, and venue decorations.
- Biodegradable confetti: Dried sweet pea petals can serve as eco-friendly confetti for celebrations and events.
- Floral crowns and garlands: The flexible stems and attractive flowers of sweet pea can be woven into wearable floral accessories such as crowns and garlands for festivals or themed parties.
- Garden moth attractant: Sweet pea flowers can attract moths in the evening, serving as a natural way to observe moth species and their behaviors in a garden setting.
Interesting Facts
Feng ShuiThe Sweet Pea is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign CompitabilityThe Sweet Pea is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism- Blissful Pleasure: Sweet peas emit a delightful fragrance which has long been associated with pleasure and bliss, conveying a sense of enjoyment and happiness in life's simple delights.
- Goodbye and Departure: Sweet peas can symbolize bidding farewell or goodbyes, perhaps because they can be given at the end of a time together to express appreciation and the hope of a future encounter.
- Gratitude: The sweet pea is often linked to expressions of thanks, making it an ideal flower to show gratitude and acknowledge someone's kindness or support.
- Delicate or Blissful Pleasure: Their gentle appearance and alluring scent can signify delicate pleasures, evoking the joy found in the subtle and tender moments.
- Friendship: Sweet peas can represent friendship due to their colorful and inviting appearance, suggesting the shared joy and comfort found in good company.
WaterSweet peas require regular watering to maintain moist but not waterlogged soil. During the growing season, they should be watered deeply once a week, providing about 1 inch of water which is roughly 0.5 gallons for an area of 1 square foot. Decrease watering as the plant prepares to go dormant. Avoid overhead watering to prevent mildew, and instead, aim to water at the base of the plant. If the weather is particularly hot or dry, check the soil moisture level more frequently and water accordingly.
LightSweet peas thrive best in full sun to partial shade. They should be planted in a spot where they receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Too much shade can lead to poor flowering and leggy growth, so it's important to ensure that the location is well-lit for the majority of the day.
TemperatureSweet peas prefer cooler climates and do well in temperatures ranging from 55°F to 65°F. They can survive minimum temperatures down to about 25°F once they are well-established but should be protected from hard frosts. During hot summer weather above 80°F, they may stop flowering and could benefit from partial shade.
PruningPruning sweet peas is essential for encouraging more blooms and preventing the plant from becoming too leggy. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to promote continuous blooming. The best time to prune is when the plant has several sets of leaves; you can pinch out the growing tip to encourage bushier growth. Prune or deadhead at least weekly during the flowering season.
CleaningAs needed
SoilSweet pea 'Millennium' thrives in well-draining, rich soil with moderate moisture. A quality mix would be equal parts loam, compost, and perlite or sand to ensure good drainage. The ideal soil pH for sweet peas is between 6.0 and 7.0.
RepottingSweet peas, including the Millennium variety, generally do not need to be repotted as they are annual plants. They complete their life cycle in one growing season and are typically sown directly where they are to flower.
Humidity & MistingSweet pea 'Millennium' prefers moderate humidity levels. Aim for a range of 40-60% for optimal growth, which matches average outdoor conditions in many growing climates.
Suitable locationsIndoor
Ensure bright light, cool temps, and trellis for support.
Outdoor
Plant in sun, use trellis, enrich soil, water regularly.
Hardiness zone
Sweet pea 'Millennium' is generally grown as an annual and thus isn't rated for USDA hardiness.
Life cycleSweet pea 'Millennium' starts its life when a seed is planted and germinates, usually in late winter or early spring, sprouting to form seedlings with a pair of leaves. As the plant grows, it develops a robust root system and climbing stems with tendrils that latch onto supports, while the leaves mature into a compound structure with multiple leaflets. Flowering typically occurs in late spring or summer when conditions are favorable, with the plant producing fragrant and colorful flowers that are typically purple, although color can vary depending on the variety. After pollination, often by bees or other insects, flowers develop into legume pods containing several seeds. These pods mature, then dry and split open to release seeds, completing the reproductive cycle. If the conditions are not favorable for seed germination, the seeds can enter a dormant period, potentially germinating in a following season when conditions improve.
PropogationPropogation time
Spring to Early Summer
Lathyrus odoratus 'Millennium', commonly known as sweet pea, is most commonly propagated through seeds. The best time to sow sweet pea seeds is in late winter or early spring, depending on the climate. To encourage germination, it's often recommended to soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before planting. After soaking, seeds should be sown in pots or trays filled with a well-draining seed starting mix, planting them about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) deep. Place the pots in a bright, cool location and keep the soil moist. Germination usually takes 10 to 21 days. Once seedlings have developed several sets of true leaves, they can be hardened off and transplanted outdoors after the risk of frost has passed.
