- Botanical name: Lathyrus vernus 'Spring Melody'
- Common name: Spring pea
- Family: Papilionaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial, Deciduous
Pink
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive to wildlife
- Flowers
A great spring bee plant, Lathyrus vernus is a compact, bushy perennial with pea-like foliage and pretty, dark purple vetch-like flowers. It’s perfect for growing in a partially shaded spring border, where it associates well with other spring-flowering plants such as bleeding heart and primrose. All plants in the pea family are excellent for bees, as the flowers bear particularly high quality pollen, which, when fed to bee grubs, helps them grow into strong, robust adults.
Lathyrus vernus ‘Spring Melody’ bears flowers in two shades of pink. It’s ideal for a partially shaded woodland border or spring display.
Grow Lathyrus vernus ‘Spring Melody’ in rich but well-drained soil, ideally in a mixed border among later-flowering plants which will spread to fill the gap when its foliage dies down in midsummer. Alternatively, grow on a bank among low ground-covering plants.
How to grow Lathyrus 'Spring Melody'
-
Plant size
50cm height
50cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Front
- Sun exposure: Dappled shade, partial shade
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sow | ||||||||||||
Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do Sow in March |
A
Do Sow in April |
M
Do not Sow in May |
J
Do not Sow in June |
J
Do not Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do Sow in September |
O
Do Sow in October |
N
Do not Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
Plant | ||||||||||||
Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do Plant in March |
A
Do Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
Flowers | ||||||||||||
Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does flower in March |
A
Plant does flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
Collect seeds | ||||||||||||
Collect seeds |
J
Do not Collect seeds in January |
F
Do not Collect seeds in February |
M
Do not Collect seeds in March |
A
Do not Collect seeds in April |
M
Do Collect seeds in May |
J
Do Collect seeds in June |
J
Do not Collect seeds in July |
A
Do not Collect seeds in August |
S
Do not Collect seeds in September |
O
Do not Collect seeds in October |
N
Do not Collect seeds in November |
D
Do not Collect seeds in December |
Lathyrus 'Spring Melody' and wildlife
Lathyrus 'Spring Melody' is known for attracting bees. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers.
Attractive to Bees
Does not attract Beneficial insects
Does not attract Birds
Does not attract Butterflies/Moths
Does not attract Other pollinators
Is Lathyrus 'Spring Melody' poisonous?
Lathyrus 'Spring Melody' can be toxic.
Toxic to Cats
Toxic to Dogs
Toxic to Horses
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People