Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Seasonal cut flowerLathyrus odoratus
Sweet peas: when they're in season in Australia
Sweet peas are in season in Australia from August to November. In Victoria the season runs August to October. Outside those months you'll mostly find imported stems.Being confirmed
- Right now
- In season in September
- Season
- August to November
- Vase life
- 5 to 7 days
Season by state
Sweet peas are a late winter and spring flower in Australia, at market from about August to November, with Melbourne florists seeing them mainly August to October. Gardeners traditionally sow them around Anzac Day in April, which is why searches spike in autumn, and plants flower about twelve weeks later. Short, fragrant and fragile, local spring sweet peas smell far stronger than out-of-season stems. They stop flowering once the weather turns hot.
Where to buy sweet peas
Sold by the bunch. A short season and fragile stems keep them relatively dear. Being confirmed
How to choose good sweet peas
Sweet pea stems are short and fine, so check the cut end first. It should be clean and firm, not slimy or split. Look for three or four florets on each stem, with none shrivelled or missing at the bottom. Loose petals in the bucket mean the bunch has been knocked about or is past its best. The stems are short, so plan on a small jug or a glass rather than a tall vase. Two bunches make a full, scented jar for a bedside table or the kitchen bench. Late September and October, when local farms are picking every few days, usually brings the best quality and value.
Grown here or imported?
Sweet peas are not native to Australia, but they're grown here commercially.
Where they're grown
Sweet peas are an annual climber, sown in autumn and trained up nets or trellis through winter. Most Australian cut sweet peas come from small flower farms and market gardens rather than big glasshouse operations, because the vines need picking every day or two and the stems are too fragile to travel far. Being confirmed Growers in central and southern Victoria, the Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and the NSW Southern Highlands do well with them, as cool nights keep the scent strong. Many sell straight to local florists within a day of picking. Once the weather heats up, the vines are pulled out and the beds replanted.
Out of season, florists bring in imported stems. Ask your florist which you're buying: local stems are usually fresher and have travelled less.Being confirmed
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- white
- cream
- apricot
- salmon
- pale pink
- burgundy
- lilac
- purple
Varieties to ask for
- Spencer types
- Cupani
- Matucana
Vase life
5 to 7 days Being confirmed
Making them last
- Choose bunches where the top two or three buds are coloured and partly open
- Smell them, as a strong scent means they are fresh
- Separate tangled stems gently and do not wet the flowers
- Recut and use cool water with flower food
- Keep cool and away from fruit, as they drop flowers with ethylene
Using them at home
Sweet peas overlap with ranunculus, anemones and freesias in early spring, and with the first peonies and delphiniums as their season ends. Lily-of-the-valley and flannel flower suit their delicate scale too. On their own, a mass of mixed colours in a small jug or tumbler looks like a cottage garden picked that morning. Because the stems are short and soft, use a narrow-necked vase or a pin frog to hold them upright. The top buds keep opening for a few days, then the lower florets fade and go papery. Pinch those off to keep the bunch looking fresh.
Meaning and birth month
Traditionally a flower of blissful pleasure, and of saying thank you for a lovely time.
Sweet peas are a traditional birth flower for April.
Where to see them growing
Sydney Flower Market
Flemington
Best: all yearBeing confirmed
Melbourne Market flower market (National Flower Centre)
Epping
Best: all yearBeing confirmed
Questions people ask
When are sweet peas in season in Australia?
Sweet peas are at Australian markets from about August to November. Melbourne florists mostly see them from August to October, while some Sydney listings put the peak in October and November. They finish once hot weather arrives.
When should I plant sweet peas?
The Australian tradition is to sow sweet peas around Anzac Day in late April. They grow through winter and flower in spring, about twelve weeks after planting.
Why is April the sweet pea birth month?
Sweet peas are April's birth flower on traditional Western lists, which come from the Northern Hemisphere, where they flower in spring. In Australia April is when you sow them.
How long do sweet peas last?
Around five to seven days. Keep them cool, away from fruit and out of direct sun, and change the water often. Local spring stems usually smell stronger than out-of-season ones.
Why don't my sweet peas smell?
Scent varies a lot by variety. Heritage types like Cupani and Matucana are strongly perfumed, while some modern Spencer types were bred for big, frilly flowers and longer stems at the cost of scent. Heat, dry soil and out-of-season growing also weaken it. For the strongest smell, grow heritage types and pick in the cool of the morning.
Related flowers
All flowers
Where this season information comes from
- koch.com.au/blog/the-essential-guide-to-the-sweet-pea
- katehillflowers.com.au/blogs/bloom-journal/flowers-in-season-melbourne
- livingflowersmelbourne.com.au/blogs/news/seasonal-flowers-by-month-in-australia
- figandbloom.com/blogs/journal/australian-flower-calendar
- abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/sweet-peas/105869982