Are Sugar Snap Peas a Perennial?

Sugar snap peas don't require shelling.

Sugar snap peas are annual plants, meaning they die at the end of the growing season each year. There are no perennial varieties of pea plants.

Identification

Snow peas are flat and have very small peas that are visible through their edible shell. Garden peas, on the other hand, have fibrous, inedible pods. They must be shelled and are primarily frozen or canned. Sugar snap peas have rounded pods that resemble garden peas, but these pods are edible like snow pea pods.

Time Frame

Peas are cool-weather plants that can tolerate soil temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant them early in the spring or fall for the best chance of germination. If you plant peas in warmer-weather climates, choose disease-resistant varieties such as Ambassador, Green Arrow and Oregon Sugar Pod peas.

Considerations

Garden seeds are inexpensive, and they will not store indefinitely. Seed peas will last approximately three years under average conditions, and they'll last longer if they're kept in a cool, dry place. Older pea seeds have lower rates of germination, so you'll have to plant more seeds to get the same yield as you'd get with fresh seeds. The average yield of sugar snap peas is 30 lbs. of pods per 100-foot row.

References

• Utah State University Extension Service: Distinguishing Between the Different Types of Peas (.pdf)
• Oregon State University Extension Service Garden Hints: Soil Temperature is Key to the Timing of Vegetable Planting
• Oregon State University Extension Service Garden Hints: Go Through Leftover Garden Seeds
• Utah State University Extension Service: Fruit and Vegetable Fact Sheets (.pdf)