Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea (Lathyrus latifolius) The flowers of Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea are an incredible colour, similar to that of the famously spectacular Sea Pea (p.413), but a little more cleanly magenta and without Sea Pea’s addition of purple. Each flower is at least twice the size of Sea Pea. It is known as ‘everlasting’ because it is perennial (many of the pea family are annual) and it flowers through summer into autumn. This is the introduced relative of our native, similar-looking Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea (L. sylvestris), which has flowers with a cream base, richly flushed with pink, and much narrower leaves. Neither is scented, but they are closely related to sweet peas. Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea has been grown in our gardens for hundreds of years and was first recorded in the wild in 1670. You can tell the difference between the Narrow-leaved and Broad-leaved forms by the stipules, which are like little wings at the base of the leaves. Those of the native species are less than half as wide as the stem, while those of this species are more than half as wide. Plant type Pea family, Fabaceae. Flowers June–September. Height Up to 3m. Description Climbing or scrambling perennial herb. Leaves are in solitary pairs and are broad and oval, 7–15cm long, with branching tendrils. Stem is broadly winged. Flowers are magenta-pink, 15–30mm long, in racemes of three to eight flowers. Pod is hairless, 5–7cm long. Companion species Bramble (p.66), Dog-rose (p.79), Honeysuckle (p.91) and White Bryony (p.115). Distribution Introduced. It is mostly confined to southern England and Wales, although it is never particularly common and is rare in many regions. It is very rare in northern England and Scotland. In the West Country, its distribution is largely coastal. Habitat Hedges, wood borders and scrub, and on rough banks and sheltered sea cliffs. It sometimes occurs as a garden escape.
Broad-leaved Willowherb (Epilobium montanum) You are likely to recognise the Broad-leaved Willowherb from your garden, because it is a very common garden weed, germinating like mustard and cress as soon as the soil warms up in April. Its creeping stems also root separately, so when you weed it out, these separate roots often remain in the ground and quickly regrow – be sure to root it out properly with a trowel before it takes hold. It is one of the smallestflowered and most insignificant members of the willowherb family, with its flowers rarely opening out fully. The flower buds hang their heads, straightening up only when in full bloom. After flowering, it forms fluffy white seed heads, which waft about the garden finding bare ground to settle on. The generic name Epilobium is derived from the Greek words epi, ‘upon’, and lobos, ‘pod’, and refers to the flowers, which sit at the end of a long, thin pod. Plant type Willowherb family, Onagraceae. Flowers June– August. Height 20–60cm. Description Slender, erect perennial herb. Stem is round, almost hairless. Leaves are oval to lanceolate, short-stalked, toothed and arranged in opposite pairs. Flowers are 6–9mm across with rosy-pink, notched petals and arranged in terminal racemes. Stigma has four lobes. Companion species Common Chickweed (p.239), Garlic Mustard (p.84), Hairy Bitter-cress (p.251) and Small Toadflax (p.260). Distribution Native. Very common throughout the British Isles. Habitat Usually grows in hedge banks, ditches and woodland and also on waste ground and as a weed in gardens. It prefers base-rich or calcareous soils. It may also be found growing on rock ledges and in gullies.
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