Flat pea
A perennial climbing pea of woodland edges and scrub; flowers suit large wild bees best, a moderate summer source for honey bees.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 1-2 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Flat pea is a perennial legume that climbs over other plants on woodland edges, in scrub and on stony slopes. Its pink-purple flowers are large, with sturdy wing petals; its most effective visitors are bumblebees and leafcutter bees. Honey bees can reach part of the nectar and collect pollen, but the plant alone does not produce a honey flow.
Flowering
It stays in flower for a long time from June to August, just as the summer dearth begins. At that time it is useful as a supplementary source for apiaries inside woodland.
Honey and pollen
It has no honey of its own; it makes a small contribution to forest and highland multifloral honeys. The amount of pollen is moderate.
Note for the beekeeper
It is valuable for wild bee diversity and is used as a cover plant on embankments and erosion sites. Its seeds can cause nervous-system poisoning in some animals; this risk has not been reported for honey or pollen.