- Hardiness
- Grown as an annual in every zone
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Average, about an inch a week
- Size
- 4 to 8 ft vine
- Blooms
- Spring to early summer
- Colors
- pink, purple, white, red
Growing tip. Sow as early as the soil can be worked, or in fall in zones 8 and up. Pick daily: the more you cut, the longer it blooms. The seeds are poisonous.
When to plant sweet pea by zone
| Zone | Median last / first frost | When to plant |
|---|---|---|
| 3b | May 16 / Sep 25 | Plant outside: Apr 18 to May 16 Fall planting: Aug 7 to Sep 4 |
| 4a | May 12 / Sep 28 | Plant outside: Apr 14 to May 12 Fall planting: Aug 10 to Sep 7 |
| 4b | May 8 / Oct 1 | Plant outside: Apr 10 to May 8 Fall planting: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| 5a | May 3 / Oct 5 | Plant outside: Apr 5 to May 3 Fall planting: Aug 17 to Sep 14 |
| 5b | May 1 / Oct 10 | Plant outside: Apr 3 to May 1 Fall planting: Aug 22 to Sep 19 |
| 6a | Apr 29 / Oct 16 | Plant outside: Apr 1 to Apr 29 Fall planting: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| 6b | Apr 22 / Oct 22 | Plant outside: Mar 25 to Apr 22 Fall planting: Sep 3 to Oct 1 |
| 7a | Apr 16 / Oct 25 | Plant outside: Mar 19 to Apr 16 Fall planting: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| 7b | Apr 5 / Nov 1 | Plant outside: Mar 8 to Apr 5 Fall planting: Sep 13 to Oct 11 |
| 8a | Mar 29 / Nov 7 | Plant outside: Mar 1 to Mar 29 Fall planting: Sep 19 to Oct 17 |
| 8b | Mar 16 / Nov 14 | Plant outside: Feb 16 to Mar 16 Fall planting: Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| 9a | Mar 2 / Nov 26 | Plant outside: Feb 2 to Mar 2 Fall planting: Oct 8 to Nov 5 |
| 9b | Feb 1 / Dec 9 | Plant outside: Jan 4 to Feb 1 Fall planting: Oct 21 to Nov 18 |
Zones 10 and warmer have little or no frost. There, plant cool-season plants in fall and warm-season plants from late winter.
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Frequently asked questions
What zone does sweet pea grow in?
Sweet pea is grown fresh each year, so it fits every zone. What changes is when you plant. Find your zone by ZIP code.
How much sun does sweet pea need?
Full sun. Full sun means at least six hours of direct sun a day; part shade means about three to six.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.