Wild Pea

Lathyrus oleraceus

Native to:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Lathyrus
Species:
Lathyrus oleraceus
USDA Symbol:
PIEL5

Growth Characteristics

Height:
200 cm
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun,jul
Bloom Colors:
purple, pink, white

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Caribbean pod borer (Fundella pellucens), Alfalfa Looper (Autographa californica), almond moth (Cadra cautella), Ancylostomia stercorea, Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Armyworm moth (Pseudaletia unipuncta), Bean pod borer (Maruca vitrata), beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua), Beet Webworm (Loxostege sticticalis), Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata), Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni), Celery leaftier (Udea rubigalis), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), darksided cutworm (Euxoa messoria), dingy cutworm (Feltia jaculifera), European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), Euxoa ochrogaster, Eversmann's rustic (Actebia fennica), Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), garden webworm moth (Achyra rantalis), Gothic dart (Feltia subgothica), Green Cloverworm Moth (Hypena scabra), Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), lesser cornstalk borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus), nutmeg (Discestra trifolii), Omiodes Leafroller (Omiodes simialis), pea moth (Cydia nigricana), Pulse pod borer (Etiella zinckenella), rascal dart moth (Agrotis malefida), rosy rustic (Hydraecia micacea), Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Southern armyworm (Spodoptera eridania), Soybean Looper (Pseudoplusia includens), sparganothis fruitworm moth (Sparganothis sulfureana), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Striped Garden Caterpillar Moth (Trichordestra legitima), underworld dart (Agrotis subterranea), unexpected cycnia (Cycnia inopinatus), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), Western yellowstriped armyworm (Spodoptera praefica), White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), Yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies
Fragrant:
Yes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 14–30 days
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
14–28 days
Notes:
Scarification of hard seed coat recommended before cold stratification. Soak seeds 24 hours in warm water after scarification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI