Thinking of growing sweet peas for their gorgeous blooms and scent but not sure if you have the room? Then dwarf sweet peas are for you. These sweet peas are just like their taller sisters but grow smaller and bushier while still developing lots of wonderfully scented blooms.
Dwarf Sweet Peas
As the name would suggest these are sweet peas that grow to a much smaller height. They still produce the same wonderful flowers but just with more compact foliage.
There are lots of different varieties of dwarf sweet pea available and they all have different traits, some will be more dwarf than others but one thing they all share in common is their compact nature.
If you are looking for a dwarf sweet pea to try then I recommend sugar n spice below from Thompson & Morgan. These dwarf sweet peas look simply amazing when grown in hanging baskets.
How Tall do Dwarf Sweet Peas Grow?
It can vary from variety to variety but expect dwarf sweet peas to grow to around 50-60cm.
Do Dwarf Sweet Peas Need Support?
No, you don’t need to support dwarf sweet peas. This is because of the bushier nature of dwarf sweet peas.
They do not grow tall and floppy enough to need support like regular sweet peas do.
Do You Pinch Out Dwarf Sweet Peas?
Yes, even though they do tend to grow bushier naturally you should still pinch the growing tip out of dwarf sweet peas as you would with regular ones.
Can You Grow Dwarf Sweet Peas in Hanging Baskets?
Yes, in fact, this is one of the best use cases for dwarf sweet peas. Sugar N Spice that I linked to above performs particularly well in hanging baskets and provides a wonderful display and fragrance.
Can You Grow Dwarf Sweet Peas in Pots?
Yes, you can grow both dwarf and regular sweet peas in pots. Dwarf sweet peas do work better in pots than regular sweet peas and can be grown in much smaller pots.
For more information on different kinds of sweet pea plants why not read my complete guide to everlasting sweet peas.
More on Sweet peas
sweet peas, (Lathyrus odoratus) are a flowering plant belonging to the legume family. They are an annual flower that loves to climb and spread, in the right conditions and with the correct support they can grow to 2 and a half meters tall!
Unlike many other legumes which are grown to be eaten, sweet peas are grown for purely aesthetic reasons. There is evidence to suggest that the pea seeds from a sweet pea plant are actually toxic to humans and not fit for consumption even if this was desired.
Sweetpea FAQ’s
Are sweet peas perennial?
No sweet peas are an annual plant, they will not come back year after year.
Can you eat sweetpeas?
No, sweet peas are grown purely for their looks. Unlike many other legumes, they are actually toxic to humans if consumed.
Are sweet peas poisonous to pets?
Yes, as they are poisonous to humans they are also poisonous to pets, so make sure you keep an eye on your pets when they are hovering around sweet peas.
How high can sweet peas grow?
With the proper support, sweet peas can grow to 2m or even slightly above!
When do you grow sweet peas?
The traditional season for sweet peas is June and July but with the right care and attention, they can be both started earlier and grown later into the season. Regular deadheading of sweetpeas can massively prolong their flowering period.
How to germinate sweet peas?
I like to soak my sweet pea seeds in water for 24 hours before planting them in a seed tray. This soaking helps to break down the tough shell around the seed allowing them to germinate better.