Sweet Pea has a scientific name ‘Lathyrus odoratus.‘ This name has two different meanings. These are ‘attractive’ and ‘sweet-scented.’
The beautiful flower has a distinctive sweet fragrance that almost smells like candy without being too overwhelming and is widely used in flower arrangements. It is native to Italy and is one of the most popular flowers in Europe today. One of its distinguishing characteristics that makes this flower even more appealing to humans is that it does not attract flies. Despite having a sweet fragrance, sweet pea is often used to deter flies as they do not like the flower’s scent.
Let’s look at the sweet pea flower’s meaning and significance to understand its popularity better.
Sweet Pea Flower Meaning
In floral terms, sweet pea flowers mean blissful pleasure. Clusters of sweet pea flowers symbolize friendship, good thoughts, and compassion.
These flowers are often used when saying goodbye or thank you. The underlying sentiment is positive, symbolizing gratitude, gratefulness, and good thoughts. They are the birth flowers for the month of April.
Cultural Significance of Sweet Pea Flower
Cultural significance has played an important role in forming the sweet pea flower meaning. Let’s look at the rich history of sweet pea flowers across various cultures:
The Victorian Era
According to one particular legend, a Franciscan monk discovered the sweet pea flower in Sicily. This goes back to the 17th Century. After bringing the flower home, he also sent it to England. From there, it picked up a frontal role in the botany of England, particularly in the Victorian era.
During this time, the sweet pea flower was even referred to as the Queen of Annuals. The flower became an inherent part of all special occasions, such as birthdays, dinner parties, etc.
French Culture
In French culture, the significance of the sweet pea flower is quite different. The flowers were often used as gifts for the brides as a way of seeing them off with good wishes. Some even believe that it symbolizes good luck in the marriage.
Flower Arrangement
One of the most distinguishing traits of the sweet pea flower is its availability in an abundance of colors, which makes it every florist’s dream. They are available in red, burgundy, lavender, white, purple, peach, cream, salmon, and many more. The only color they aren’t available in is yellow.
The wide range of colors makes it easy to complement these flowers with others. But most of all, they look wonderful in a bouquet of their own kind.
Significance of Sweet Pea Flower Tattoo
The sweet pea flower meaning often relates to goodbyes and happy thoughts. So, what does a tattoo of the said flower symbolize?
Typically, the tattoo of a sweet pea flower represents memories of a loved one, fond and loving memories. They are also used to represent a heartfelt goodbye, possibly after the end of a relationship.
When to Give a Sweet Pea Flower to Someone?
Since the sweet pea is the birth flower of the month of April, it would make a suitable and meaningful gift for anyone born in this month.
Moreover, it can also be used when expressing gratitude or saying goodbye to someone. And just like the French culture, you can also use it as a present for brides to wish them well in their future endeavors.
