black pea

L. niger is an upright perennial, to 90cm tall, with robust, wingless, branched stems and leaves comprising 3-6 pairs of elliptical leaflets up to 4cm long and lacking tendrils. Purplish flowers, that turn blue as they age, are borne in sprays of four to ten in late spring and early summer and are followed by black pods carrying 6-8 seeds. The plant derives its name from its foliage which turns black as it dies