Leaf
Mathieu MENAND, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Meadow vetchling
Lathyrus pratensis L.
Also known as: Meadow pea
Family: Fabaceae
30 cm to 1.2 m, in climbing stems
Meadows, hedgerows, banks
Flowering: May – August
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
A single pair of leaflets followed by a tendril — a feature that distinguishes it from other climbing legumes.
🍃 Leaves
A single pair of leaflets, ending in a climbing tendril
🌸 Flowers
Bright yellow, pea-shaped, in loose racemes
🍎 Fruits
Small flat brown pods
🪵 Bark
Climbing herbaceous stem with four angles
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia; very common in meadows and grassy banks in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Yellow pea-type flowers rich in nectar, much visited by bumblebees and bees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Wildflower meadows, naturalistic gardens; a light climber with tendrils, rarely grown in ornamental beds.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Seeds mildly toxic in large quantities (like other wild legumes of the genus Lathyrus).
🌿 Other Fabaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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