Meadow Pea
Lathyrus pratensis
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., Ethiopia, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yemen
Didier Descouens
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Lathyrus
- Species:
- Lathyrus pratensis
- USDA Symbol:
- LAPR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Vine
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Common in meadows and grasslands; prefers nutrient-rich soils.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 14–30 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Scarification by nicking or soaking in hot water improves germination. Cold stratification beneficial but not always required.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI