Description
Lathyrus hemetii (hybrid cross of L. odoratus x L. beleninsis) | Sweet Pea ‘Turquoise Lagoon’
Sweet Pea ‘Turquoise Lagoon’ is a Spencer-type hybrid variety bred by Keith Hammett and introduced by Roger Parsons in 2012. It’s a stunning annual climbing vine with extraordinarily beautiful multi-colored flowers that blend and transform from mauve-pink to an enchanting sky blue to turquoise blue and aquamarine, creating a gorgeous kaleidoscopes of colors – one of the most beautiful on Earth! The color-blending continues throughout the duration of the blooms, including even after cutting and arranging them in a vase, where they may look the most beautiful of all!
To add even more appeal, the blooms release a strong and captivating fragrance that’s sure to bring pleasure and delight, especially for those who’ve never smelled a Sweet Pea before! The stems are ‘winged’ and clad with light green leaflets in pairs. The stems end in tendrils which enable the plants to grab and climb. ‘Turquoise Lagoon’ grew on the shorter side for us, reaching about 4 ft.
Lathyrus hemetii enjoy getting established while the soil is still cool and are quite frost tolerant, so no worries about them surviving on the beginning or tail end of the seasons. In the warmest planting zones, Sweet Pea can even be planted in the fall for winter blooms. Otherwise, start seeds indoors a few weeks before the last frost to give them a good start before planting outside.
The vines require support to climb, like a chain link fence, plant tower, trellis netting, etc. They thrive in bright, sunny areas in well-drained soil on balconies, terraces, containers and garden beds. Pinch off the tops when there are 4 pairs of true leaves, to encourage bushier growth.
‘Turquoise Lagoon’ sweet pea seeds are smaller than normal sweet pea seeds and are typically not smooth, but rather have more of a dented or or squished appearance. This is because they are a hybrid of L. odoratus x L. beleninsis.
For the highest germination percentage it is recommended to nick or scarify the seeds before sowing them using a nail clipper or Fiskars scissors (which breaks the outer seed coat) and then soak them overnight in warm water. However, soaking in water without nicking is often enough. Sow seed a little deeper than the seed is tall.
Please note: Unlike garden peas, sweet pea seeds should NOT be ingested. Use caution around children and pets.
Type: Hardy annual
Sun exposure: Full sun
Mature height: 4-6 ft
Mature width: 2 ft
Hardiness zones: 10-11
