Manystem Pea: A Native Wildflower for Great Plains Gardens
If you’re looking to add native character to your garden with a touch of Great Plains authenticity, the manystem pea (Lathyrus polymorphus polymorphus var. polymorphus) might just be the wildflower you’ve been searching for. This perennial native brings a bit of prairie charm to landscapes across the central United States, though it’s definitely one of those best kept secrets in the native plant world.
What Exactly Is Manystem Pea?
Manystem pea is a perennial forb—basically a non-woody flowering plant that comes back year after year. As part of the legume family, it’s related to garden peas and beans, though this wild cousin has adapted to thrive in the sometimes harsh conditions of America’s heartland. You might also see it listed under its former scientific names, including Lathyrus decaphyllus or Lathyrus stipulaceus, if you’re digging through older botanical references.
Where Does It Call Home?
This prairie native has made itself at home across a swath of the Great Plains and western states. You’ll find manystem pea growing naturally in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. It’s perfectly adapted to the climate and soil conditions of these regions, having evolved alongside the native ecosystems for thousands of years.
The Honest Truth About Growing Manystem Pea
Here’s where I need to be upfront with you: manystem pea is something of a mystery plant when it comes to cultivation details. While we know it’s a hardy native perennial that belongs in Great Plains gardens, specific information about growing conditions, care requirements, and garden performance is surprisingly scarce. This isn’t uncommon with some of our lesser-known native wildflowers—they’ve been quietly doing their thing in the wild without much attention from the gardening world.
Why Consider This Native Wildflower?
Despite the limited cultivation information, there are several compelling reasons to consider manystem pea for your native garden:
- True native credentials: It’s genuinely native to the lower 48 states, making it an authentic choice for native plant gardens
- Perennial reliability: Once established, it should return year after year without replanting
- Regional adaptation: It’s naturally suited to the climate conditions of its native range
- Low-maintenance potential: As a native wildflower, it likely requires minimal care once established
The Challenge and the Opportunity
If you’re intrigued by manystem pea, you’ll be joining the ranks of adventurous native plant gardeners who are willing to experiment with lesser-known species. The lack of detailed cultivation information means you’ll be doing some detective work and possibly some trial and error. However, this also presents an exciting opportunity to learn about and help document the garden potential of an underappreciated native plant.
Getting Started
If you decide to try growing manystem pea, your best bet is to:
- Source seeds or plants from reputable native plant nurseries in your region
- Observe how it grows in nearby natural areas, if possible
- Start with a small trial planting to see how it performs in your specific conditions
- Connect with local native plant societies or botanical groups who might have experience with regional natives
Remember, as a Great Plains native, it’s likely adapted to full sun, well-drained soils, and the temperature extremes typical of continental climates. But without specific cultivation data, some experimentation may be needed to find its sweet spot in your garden.
The Bottom Line
Manystem pea represents both the promise and the challenge of native plant gardening. While it offers authentic native character and regional adaptation, it also requires a spirit of exploration and patience. If you’re in its native range and looking to support local ecosystems with truly native species, it could be worth the experiment. Just be prepared to become something of a pioneer in documenting how this prairie native performs in cultivation.
For gardeners seeking more well-documented native alternatives, consider exploring other Great Plains natives like purple prairie clover, blanket flower, or native sunflowers, which offer similar regional authenticity with more established cultivation guidelines.
