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Lathyrus Odoratus or better known as the sweet pea flower is a flower that is spread in the Mediterranean region. This flower has a beauty that is quite charming because of its physical form. In Europe, this flower is grown as an ornamental flower since the 17th century. This flower became increasingly popular in the nineteenth century, mainly known as cut flowers thanks to the Scottish breeder Henry Eckford. At that time, this beautiful flower was crossed by developing several sweet pea cultivars.
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Sweet Pea History
By doing this cultivation, the flowers are quite charming. Sweet peas can retain the original floral scent, become larger, and are available in a variety of colors. No wonder this sweet pea flower has an incomparable beauty, especially in terms of color that is quite charming. The flower, known by the Latin name Lathyrus odoratus, is a native plant from the China Pulse Family which means fragrant and very attractive. Some scientists believe that the original soil of this plant blooms in parts of the eastern Mediterranean country.
With Sicily, the habitat extends eastward to the island of Crete. On the other hand, this flower is believed to have been brought by Sicilian fans from Peru and Ecuador. This made a Sucilian Monk in 1699 interested in sending this seed to a friend in England. For this reason, British breeders cultivated this plant until the first five varieties appeared. Along with the times, the origin of the country of sweet pea flowers which was originally from the Mediterranean can be developed in other areas and become many varieties. Even today you can find more than a thousand varieties of the Sweet Pea plant.
Sweet Pea Flower Characteristics
Lathyrus odoratus has a shape that looks like a moth, but the British say they look like a sailboat or Corolla. This one flower has a large lance shape, similar to a wide sail, the shape of two wandering side wings, and several lower connecting petals.
Lathyrus odoratus flowers can grow quickly and bloom from June to October. In addition to being known for its unique shape, the aroma of the flowers is also quite impressive and is known as the aroma of the wine.
Usually, this flower is used as a decoration in the garden, but also in pots, and hanging baskets on the terrace or balcony. However, apart from its stunning external appearance, did you know that this beautiful flower has a myriad of symbolic meanings? There are several distinct meanings of the Lathyrus odoratus flower that you must know.
Following its name, of course, this flower gives its own impression that can be obtained. The meaning of sweet pea flowers is associated with ideas of meeting, parting, and happy pleasures. For this reason, this flower is often used by many people to express their gratitude.
Interestingly, there is another story about this flower, because this flower is allegedly the flower for the birth of April. The flower, which was first cultivated in the 18th century, quickly became popular because it became a favorite flower for the King.
This flower is also often presented at large events, be it dinner parties, weddings, and so on. In addition, this flower also has a spiritual meaning because it is often planted on Fridays.
Sweet Pea Flower Meaning
Sweet pea has a soft texture and looks like a butterfly. Sweet peas have delicate and unique petals. This one flower also has a different meaning from other flowers. Sweet peas represent feelings of joy and gratitude to those who have stopped by and provide pleasant memories. But when given, this flower also means farewell or a symbol of saying goodbye. Overall, the Sweet Pea flower is a flower that symbolizes pleasure, happiness, or an ideal way to say goodbye.
How to Plant Sweet Pea Flowers
Sweet peas can be grown easily. 3 stages need to be considered if you want to plant them, namely the stage of treating the seeds, the planting stage, and the maintenance stage.
First, the seed treatment stage. Choose the highest quality seeds. You can get sweet pea flower seeds at a farm store or plant supply store. Ancient sweet peas usually have a very fragrant floral scent. While sweet pea Spencer type, where the seeds produce bright colorful flowers, usually the flowers are not very fragrant.
Determine the zone or area to plant sweet pea seeds. If you live in an area with cold winters, it’s best to plant your sweet pea seeds indoors. This is so that the shoots that grow do not freeze and can later adapt to warm soil after winter. Meanwhile, if you live in an area with moderate seasons, you can plant it directly in the soil in early November.
Seeds soaked or incised first. Soak the seeds in a saucepan overnight. Swollen seeds are ideal seeds for planting, while seeds that do not change shape should be discarded. Seeds can also be incised using a small knife or a nail clipper. Cut the surface of each seed.
The second, the planting stage. After a few leaves appear, they can be moved to the ground. Sweet pea is a flower that likes soil with good drainage. You can move it to pots or soil directly. If you’re growing it in a pot, it’s a good idea to build a tower stake in a pot or a small pergola. If planted directly in the ground, leave a distance of about 12.5 cm for each plant, it is better if you start near the fence so that later the sweet pea plant can propagate its vines on the fence. You can also stick some bamboo poles in the garden as a medium for propagation.
The third, the maintenance stage. Sweet pea plants like direct sunlight, but need to be watered as often as possible when the soil looks dry, namely during the summer.
Sweet pea is a plant that is productive in producing flowers for weeks. Therefore, fertilization is carried out once a month. Use manure or compost with a high potassium content.
Sweet Pea Birth Flower
Did you know that in addition to stones and zodiacs, there are flowers based on the month of birth? Each flower has its own meaning which is quite surprising, so before deciding to buy a particular flower for someone, make sure you have adjusted it to the month of birth of that person. As for the sweet pea flower itself, it is an identical flower to symbolize the birth month of April.
Sweet Pea Bouquet
We can choose a sweet pea bouquet as a romantic gift for our partner. But remember, this flower can also mean farewell. So just adjust to the conditions.
You can get this flower at various flower shops, like Flower Advisor. Choose a flower shop that has good credibility and testimonials. The quality of the flower shop you choose will determine the quality of the flowers you will buy.
