SWEET PEAS
The botanical name of the sweet peas is Lathyrus odoratus - odoratus means scented, and these are beautifully scented flowers. They originated from Italy, and are grown in colours of purples, pinks, creams,salmons.
They are available march to november.
Sweet peas are very delicate flowers and need to be kept cool, always in water, and away from ripening fruit. Commercial sweet peas are treated after cutting to prolong their life; garden-cut ones may only last one or two days but florists' peas can last over a week.
In the language of flowers sweet peas mean "delicate pleasures". Breeders are trying to develop a scented yellow sweet pea. The Lathyrus family has a naturally occurring yellow pea but it has no fragrance.
Related Flowers : Irises Flowers Houseleeks Flowers Kniphofias or Red Hot Pokers Flowers Hyacinths Flowers Leucospermums or Pincussions Proteas Flowers Irises Flowers Lilacs or Syringa Flowers Larkspurs Flowers Lilies / Lily Flowers Laurels Flowers