Lathyrus pratensis: The Meadow Vetchling, also known as the Meadow Pea or the Meadow Pea-vine, can be identified by its yellow pea-like flowers, narrow leaves and tendrils. It can grow fairly tall if left undisturbed but if kept under control it forms a short plant. It is in flower between May and August and the seeds ripen from July to September.
It prefers calcareous soils on limestone or chalk or by the sea and prefers disturbed soil for the seeds to germinate. It is best sown in the Autumn and, as with all legumes, the seeds will benefit from a light scarification to promote early germination.
The Meadow Vetchling grows in fairly fertile soils in a variety of grasslands, including meadows and hedgerows. It is able to grow in fairly wet conditions and does like the soil to be kept moist. Although it does produce seed, rhizomes are the main form of regeneration and the species colonizes an area as it spreads out from the original plant. However, the spread of the plant is easily controlled by cutting or grazing.