Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Climber Wall Shrub

Lathyrus nervosus

Lord Anson's blue pea

A herbaceous, perennial climber with prominently-veined, leathery, grey-green leaves terminating in a tendril. The scented, purplish-blue flowers appear in small clusters on long stems in summer

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
4 suppliers

Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Pods and seeds are not edible. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Pods and seeds are not edible. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Lathyrus can be annuals or herbaceous or evergreen perennials, mostly climbing, with pinnate leaves ending in a tendril, and showy pea-like flowers, fragrant in some species
Name status: Correct
Plant range: S America

How to grow

Cultivation

Needs fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade, and can be trained up a support, or be allowed to scramble. Will need winter protection in all but mild areas. See sweetpea cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Mediterranean climate plants
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Cut back to ground level in autumn

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, Fusarium wilt and sweet pea viruses

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.