Cupani Sweet Pea

seeds

Lathyrus odoratus
Open pollinated.

Annual. Oldest and among the most fragrant of all sweet peas. Celebrated its 300th birthday in 1998 amidst a surge of renewed interest. Named for the Sicilian monk who found these bicolors growing wild, Cupani combines deep maroon-purple upper petals with deep violet-blue lower petals. Grow Cupani for enticing intoxicating aroma. 5' vines. Especially attractive to pollinators.

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ships year-round

5623 Cupani

A: 2g

$2.95

B: 8g

$6.25

C: 24g

$11.25

D: 120g

$36.00

Quick Details

Hybrid Status: open pollinated

Compare

Compare with other Sweet Peas

Variety	Product Type	Hybrid Status
Perennial Sweet Pea	seeds	open pollinated
America	seeds	open pollinated
April in Paris Organic	seeds	open pollinated
Black Knight	seeds	open pollinated
Blue Celeste Organic	seeds	open pollinated
Cupani	seeds	open pollinated
Knee-High Mix	seeds	open pollinated
Erewhon	seeds	open pollinated
Mammoth Mix	seeds	open pollinated
Kaleidoscope Mix	seeds	open pollinated
Streamers Mix	seeds	open pollinated

Shipping

From early May through October 31, items shipping from our garden seeds warehouse ship twice a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday. For quickest turnaround time order online by noon Monday or Wednesday.

Additional Information

Sweet Pea

Annual. Native to Sicily, first domesticated around 1699 when amateur botanist and monk Father Francis Cupani shipped seed for the variety that bears his name to a hothouse grower in England. In the late 1800s extensive breeding work, especially by Henry Eckford, expanded the range of available colors. Around 1900 Silas Cole, gardener to Earl and Countess Spencer, found a sport with much larger ruffled flowers but less scent than Eckford’s varieties. It created a sensation when it was exhibited in 1901. From this variation derive all modern strains including Spencer, Cuthbertson, Knee-High and Mammoth. As interest in fragrance revived, Bodger Seeds Ltd. obtained as many of the pre-Spencer varieties as possible and created Old Spice Mix in the 1970s.

Culture: Soak seeds for 12–24 hours prior to sowing. For earliest blooms, sow indoors 2 months before setting out, or sow direct in spring. Need darkness for germination, which takes 10–21 days at 60°. Old catalogs recommended sowing in a 4–5" trench and filling in as the peas grew. To reduce root fungal diseases, always select well-drained locations and rotate them from year to year. Likes full sun and moist rich soil, but many perform poorly in heat, so mulching is recommended. If you are growing for cuts, avoid windy locations, as exposure will make plants stockier and stems shorter. Requires support. We use Trellis Netting. Harvest flowers frequently to keep blooms coming. Last only 3 days in the vase, but perfume the air incomparably. Give your love a bouquet of these! ~10 seeds/g.

Click here for Perennial sweet pea.

Germination Testing

For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.

Our Seeds are Non-GMO

All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.