Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush at Sunset
If your plant palette colors are pinks and purples, the perennial Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush, Polygala fruticosa, is a nice evergreen shrub to have in your garden. Just like its name, its pink-purple flowers resemble blooming sweet peas with pleasing grey-green foliage. Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush like sun, and moderate water. I consider it a low maintenance shrub with a long bloom time of several months.
At maturity, the Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush is generally a mounding shape 2′ tall x 2′ wide. Not to be confused with the standard size Sweet Pea Bush, Polygala dalmaisiana, which is very similar in appearance to the Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush, except that it can be a little more leggy, reach 3′ to 5′ in size, and is bare at its base. I personally prefer Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush in my garden.
Originally from South Africa, and in its native habitat grows close to the coast. It tolerates temperatures to 15-20F degrees. Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush, also goes by the names, Petite Butterfly and Butterfly Pea Shrub.
The Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush can be used as a charming cutting flower, as well as a perennial pleaser in the garden. Dwarf Sweet Pea can be found most likely, at your favorite local nursery, and also on the Internet.
Please share if you grow Dwarf Sweet Pea Bush in your garden.
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
HI there
I have just planted 3 of these cute little shrubs in my yard. I did not know they existed until a couple of months ago. They are in an area that gets part sun and can get a little dry in the summer.
I used to have the standard size but it would get a little too big for my narrow side yard and path.
Love your site!
Dana, yes they are a sweet shrub to have in your yard with relatively low maintenance. Thanks for your nice comment….VintageGardenGal
I recetnly purchased a dwarf sweet pea bush but, there was no information on how to tke care of the plant, ie: watering, feeding, sunlight, etc. I live in the very southern part of Arizona and, as you know, it can get very, very warm during the summer months. Can anyone give me some basic help? Right now, the bush is planted in a very large terra cotto planter and faces the western sun in the afternoon. Thanks for your help
Marilyn, the sweet pea bush is a low maintenance plant with a long bloom, spring to fall. It likes sun, and moderate water. You might have to move it into a part sun area in the summer month, if the Arizona summer sun is too much. Thanks for your comment…VintageGardenGal
My sweet pea’s leaves are turning yellow. I am confused. Is it the 80 degrees weather in full sunshine or am I watering too much?
Anna, it is a little hard to tell. What zone is your garden. I suspect it is a little of both, too much sun and too much water. If you can move your plant to part sun. In general, dwarf sweet pea bushes like moderate water, not heavy water. Good luck….VintageGardenGal
My Mom is growing these in her garden and she would like to propagate them. Would you suggest putting cuttings in water until roots appear or using a rooting hormone? Thanks!
Cathy, I need to refer you to your local nursery for that. I have not had the best luck propagating dwarf sweet pea bush successfully. Thanks for your great question…VintageGardenGal
When is the proper time to trim? How much can I trim?
Jody, I really don’t need to trim mine. My dwarf sweet pea has a beautiful shape. If you did want to trim, I suggest trimming when it is not blooming. I wouldn’t trim a lot either, just shape it if necessary. Thanks for your question…VintageGardenGal
This is an absolute gem of a small, colorful shrub with an attractive bushy, full growth type and blooms plentifully. I had previously landscapped in Lake Havasu City where this plant was never brought into the area nurseries. Most likely due to the fact that Havasu shares the same topographical heat index zone as Death valley
Anyways, I am in Lake Elsinore/CanyonLake area now and these have been some of the very best performers we plant as 1 gallons last summer. they have quickly filled out to their mature 2 x 2 size and have tolerated the unusually heavy rainfall this winter relatively well. As mentioned earlier, their are a few branches and over slight yellowing of some foilage. But, this is really to be expected by most blooming evergreens when the soil never has a chance to dry out. As soon as we’re soncictently hitting 80+ temps next month, I’ll simply prune away the less attractive p[arts and have no doubt the shrubs will fill in the voids literally in a matter of weeks.
If you have wavered on whether or not to try them, don’t! Excellent small accent shrub that look especially nice when they can be grouped in clusters in the foreground of larger shrubs in the background such as Escallonias, Hybiscus varieties, Yellow Bird of Paradise or Azaleas.
On that note, escallonias as well as their dwarf counrterparts are equally pleasing to me as a new plant that I never had exposure to in the hotter Arizona desert. Highly recommend both for gardners looking to add extremely hardy shrubs that are resilient and provide distinctly different foliage textures, but, both equally appealing in their own right.
Joel, thanks for sharing.
I would like to put the Petite Sweet Pea in a pot on my patio. The pot is 27″ H x 24″ wide. Do you think it will do ok?
Maura, I don’t usually see these in a pot, but give it a try. Your pot size should be okay.
Thanks for sharing…VintageGardenGal
I hve three of these bushes, all in pots 20″ (diameter) x 18″ high. They are 3-4 years old and still blooming. Very tolerant of neglect. They look good all year round (Northern CA, East Bay) and I love them! If they are on your patio, just make sure they get enough sun.
Tamra, thanks for sharing about your Dwarf Sweet Pea Bushes…VintageGardenGal
I would love to buy several Dwarf Sweet Pea bushes but have searched the Internet without luck. Can anyone tell me where to purchase them?
Nancy, they are fairly common in Southern California nurseries. Where do you live? Also, do you have any nurseries that specialize in native plants? You might find them, or be able to order from them. Thanks for sharing…VintageGardenGal
Hi! I just planted this a month ago and it is struggling. The leaves are turning light green/yellow with a lot of dried leaves on the underside. The nursery assured me that this plant would thrive in full sun/western exposure (although somewhat shady in the morning). I’ve been thoroughly watering 2 times a week but can’t figure what I am doing wrong. Also, the leaves look a bit wrinkled. I’m in Southern California near Pasadena.
Cristina, my guess is your plant is getting too much water. They like moderate water when young and getting established. They can tolerate being dry in maturity, and in poor soils. I suggest you take your bush back to the nursery where you got, and ask them. Also, I would ask them to replace your bush for you. Thanks for you comment….VintageGardenGal
Thank you so much! Great site for novices like me.
I bought one of these gorgeous shrubs a month or two ago from a nursury in Altadena, CA and it seems to me that the plant seems like its drying out. I doesn’t have the same luscious green color it used to have. It is planted in a location where it gets sun most of the day. Do you think it is dying? Am i over-watering the poor thing?
I would love to get a few more, but I am afraid I would kill them!!!
Erin, if it seems like it is drying out, it might need more water. I suggest you clip a piece and show it to your nursery source for the best advice. Thanks for sharing…VintageGardenGal
Thought I would post an update that might be helpful to others– I am in the process of my 2nd attempt with this “easy to grow” plant and have concluded that SoCal inland FULL sun is too much for this plant. My 2nd is withering again with an obvious scorched patch–I am going to relocate.
Cristina, it might be better to plant the dwarf sweet pea bush in the fall, too, so it has a chance to get established before all the heat…..Thanks for sharing…VintageGardenGal
Hello, my sweat pea bush was doing great until two weeks ago, but since then the leaves have become sticky. I have heard that aphids might cause this but don’t know how to save my plant. Is there any solution w/o chemicals?
Thanks very much,
Hulya
Hulya, if you have aphids start by spraying your bush down with water, give it a nice bath on a regular basis for a while….Thanks for sharing…VintageGardenGal
We really love this cute shrub. We planted it in the spring here in So. Cal. It grew pretty quickly to about 2.5 feet high and wide, but a couple of weeks ago we had a storm and the shrub was blown over. It no longer stands up straight. The roots still seem intact in the ground and the branches coming from the ground don’t seem broken just bent over. What do you suggest we do to get back to it’s former shape?
Also, I have noticed some black spots on the leaves, but the plant continues to grow and bloom. Are the spots something to be concerned about? They do not rub off when touched. Thanks for your help.
Jennifer, you might try staking it get upright again. Check with your local nursery regarding black spots. Thanks for sharing…VintageGardenGal
We have two lovely Sweet Pea Bushes that have graced our front garden, one on either side of the grass area at the sidewalk, for almost 3 years. Recently the leaves on one side of one of the bushes are turning yellow. It could be too much water or not enough, hard to tell. Breaks my heart because they are such a standout part of each bed. I will try trimming in the spring. They do reproduce themselves and I have successfully moved them the new starts. We live in San Jose, CA.
Jill,
It sounds like it might be too much water. You can always take a piece to your favorite nursery and ask them, too. Thanks for your great comment..VintageGardenGal
Will these little beauties grow up here in the Pacific Northwest?
Yardener, according to my new Sunset Western Garden Book, their zones are 8, 9. and 12-24. Thanks for commenting….VintageGardenGal
I want to purchase a Sweet Pea Bush, but don’t know if my zone is ok, I am in Western upstate New York, between Rochester and Oswego. If so, how do I care for it such as soggy soil, water and sun.
Martha, the sweet pea bush does best in Zones 8,9, and 12-24. You can check your zone by finding a website that has a national map of zones, and plugging in your zip code. Also, check with your favorite local nursery. Good luck…VintageGardenGal