Sweet Pea is a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae, native to the
eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete.
It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of 1-2 m where suitable support is available.
The leaves are pinnate with two leaflets and a terminal tendril, this twining round supporting
plants to help it climb. The flowers are purple, 2-3.5 cm broad, in the wild plant, larger and very
variable in colour in the many cultivars. Unlike most peas, the seeds of the sweet pea are
poisonous as they contain a neurotoxin, and should not be eaten. The illness caused by the
ingestion of sweet peas is known as odoratism, or sweet pea lathyrism.
Sweet peas have been cultivated since the 17th century and a vast number of cultivars are
commercially available. They are often grown by gardeners for their bright colours and the
sweet fragrance that gives them their name.
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