Perennial Pea (Lathyrus latifolius) is a long-lived climbing perennial that earned its common name 'everlasting pea' for a reason: it flowers reliably from June through September with showy rose and white blooms that keep returning year after year. Native to the Mediterranean, this hardy plant has been grown in North American gardens since the early 1700s, and it spreads via rhizomes and self-seeding to naturalize across landscapes. Growing 6 to 9 feet tall and equally wide, it thrives in zones 3 through 8 with minimal fuss, handling drought well while producing edible pea pods. The plant's trailing or climbing stems weave through gardens almost like a perennial wildflower, forgiving enough for beginners yet substantial enough to anchor a border or cover bare ground.
12
Full Sun
Moderate
3-8
108in H x 72in W
—
High
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Rose and white pea-like flowers bloom reliably all summer long on a hardy perennial that laughs at drought and actually improves with neglect. Once established, this rhizomatous spreader will weave through your garden year after year without replanting, self-seeding generously and tolerating the cool, unpredictable springs that stymie annuals. Its edible pods and showy fruit make it as productive as it is ornamental, offering both visual interest and a small harvest if you're patient enough to let some flowers set seed.
Perennial Pea serves double duty as both ornamental and productive plant. Its primary role is as a ground cover or naturalized accent in perennial borders, where its trailing stems sprawl across banks and its extended bloom provides months of color when most annuals flag. The edible pea pods can be harvested and eaten like snow peas, though the plant is equally valued for its showy flowers and persistent fruit display that decorates the garden well into autumn.
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Harvest pea pods when they are young and tender, similar to harvesting snow peas or snap peas. Pick pods regularly to encourage continued flowering and pod production throughout the summer and into early fall. Allow some pods to mature and dry on the plant if you wish to collect seeds for future seasons or to enjoy the showy dried fruit display.
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“Perennial Pea arrived in North American gardens during the early 1700s, having been cultivated in Europe for centuries before that. Native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and Northern Africa, the plant gradually escaped from intentional cultivation and naturalized so thoroughly across the United States and Canada that many gardeners encounter it as a wild volunteer rather than a deliberate planting. This journey from garden escape to landscape fixture tells a story of a plant so well-suited to its adopted home that it persisted and spread on its own terms.”