Lettuce vs Sweet Pea

Side-by-side plant comparison — which is right for your garden?

Lettuce

Lactuca sativa

Asteraceae · vegetables

EdibleLow Maintenance

Sweet Pea

Lathyrus odoratus

Fabaceae · flowers

Deer ResistantMedium Maintenance

Hardiness Zone Range

Lettuce (Zones 2-11)

Sweet Pea (Zones 2-11)

Overlap: Both grow in zones 2–11

Detailed Comparison

Feature	Lettuce	Sweet Pea
Scientific Name	Lactuca sativa	Lathyrus odoratus
Family	Asteraceae	Fabaceae
Category	vegetables	flowers
Sun	☀️ Part Shade to Full Sun	☀️ Full Sun
Water	💧💧 Medium	💧💧 Medium
Soil	Rich, Moist	Rich, Well-drained
Height	1'	6'
Spread	1'	1'
Bloom Season	Spring, Fall	Spring-Summer
Bloom Color	Yellow (insignificant)	Mixed
Growth Rate	Fast	Fast
Native Region	Mediterranean	Italy, Sicily
Maintenance	Low	Medium

Special Traits

Lettuce

Yes — EdibleNo — Deer ResistantNo — Drought Tolerant

Sweet Pea

No — EdibleYes — Deer ResistantNo — Drought Tolerant

Care Tips

Lettuce

✓Plant in cool weather — bolts in heat.
✓Succession sow every 2 weeks.
✓Harvest outer leaves for cut-and-come-again.
✓Provide afternoon shade in warm climates.

Sweet Pea

✓Soak seeds overnight before planting.
✓Provide trellis or netting.
✓Pick flowers frequently to prolong bloom.
✓Needs cool weather — plant early spring or fall in warm areas.

Which Plant Is Right for Your Garden?

Choose Lettuce if you want a low-maintenance plant. It thrives in part shade to full sun with medium water in zones 2–11.

Choose Sweet Pea if you don't mind medium maintenance, and want deer resistance. It thrives in full sun with medium water in zones 2–11.

Plant them together? Both overlap in zones 2–11. However, they have different sun needs, so plan your garden layout carefully.

View LettuceProfile →View Sweet PeaProfile →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Lettuce and Sweet Pea grow in the same hardiness zone?

Lettuce grows in USDA zones 2-11, while Sweet Pea grows in zones 2-11. Both plants can grow together in zones 2 through 11.

Do Lettuce and Sweet Pea have the same sun and water needs?

Lettuce needs part shade to full sun and medium water, while Sweet Pea needs full sun and medium water. Their differing requirements mean you may need separate garden areas for each.

Which grows taller, Lettuce or Sweet Pea?

Sweet Pea grows taller at 6' compared to Lettuce at 1'. Sweet Pea spreads 1' while Lettuce spreads 1'.

Are Lettuce and Sweet Pea deer resistant?

Sweet Pea is deer resistant, but Lettuce is not. If deer are a concern, Sweet Pea is the better choice, or protect Lettuce with fencing.

Which is easier to maintain, Lettuce or Sweet Pea?

Lettuce has low maintenance while Sweet Pea has medium maintenance. Lettuce may be easier for beginning gardeners to manage.

Explore More Data Tools

For adjacent public-data tools, methodology notes, and network updates, visit DataPeek Facts.

Detailed Comparison

Feature	Lettuce	Sweet Pea
Scientific Name	Lactuca sativa	Lathyrus odoratus
Family	Asteraceae	Fabaceae
Category	vegetables	flowers
Sun	☀️ Part Shade to Full Sun	☀️ Full Sun
Water	💧💧 Medium	💧💧 Medium
Soil	Rich, Moist	Rich, Well-drained
Height	1'	6'
Spread	1'	1'
Bloom Season	Spring, Fall	Spring-Summer
Bloom Color	Yellow (insignificant)	Mixed
Growth Rate	Fast	Fast
Native Region	Mediterranean	Italy, Sicily
Maintenance	Low	Medium

Care Tips

Lettuce

✓Plant in cool weather — bolts in heat.
✓Succession sow every 2 weeks.
✓Harvest outer leaves for cut-and-come-again.
✓Provide afternoon shade in warm climates.

Sweet Pea

✓Soak seeds overnight before planting.
✓Provide trellis or netting.
✓Pick flowers frequently to prolong bloom.
✓Needs cool weather — plant early spring or fall in warm areas.

Which Plant Is Right for Your Garden?

Choose Lettuce if you want a low-maintenance plant. It thrives in part shade to full sun with medium water in zones 2–11.

Choose Sweet Pea if you don't mind medium maintenance, and want deer resistance. It thrives in full sun with medium water in zones 2–11.

Plant them together? Both overlap in zones 2–11. However, they have different sun needs, so plan your garden layout carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Lettuce and Sweet Pea grow in the same hardiness zone?

Lettuce grows in USDA zones 2-11, while Sweet Pea grows in zones 2-11. Both plants can grow together in zones 2 through 11.

Do Lettuce and Sweet Pea have the same sun and water needs?

Lettuce needs part shade to full sun and medium water, while Sweet Pea needs full sun and medium water. Their differing requirements mean you may need separate garden areas for each.

Which grows taller, Lettuce or Sweet Pea?

Sweet Pea grows taller at 6' compared to Lettuce at 1'. Sweet Pea spreads 1' while Lettuce spreads 1'.

Are Lettuce and Sweet Pea deer resistant?

Sweet Pea is deer resistant, but Lettuce is not. If deer are a concern, Sweet Pea is the better choice, or protect Lettuce with fencing.

Which is easier to maintain, Lettuce or Sweet Pea?

Lettuce has low maintenance while Sweet Pea has medium maintenance. Lettuce may be easier for beginning gardeners to manage.