How to Identify Types of Garden Peas

True garden peas open easily to reveal a string of seeds.

When deciding what type of pea to grow in your garden, consider how you will use it. English peas, also known as garden peas, produce sweet, round seeds that are removed from the pods. These peas are usually eaten steamed or in salads. Snap peas have a crunchy, sweet pod and are excellent for fresh eating or in salads. Snow peas have flat, edible pods and work well in stir frys. A fourth variety of peas is the old-fashioned sweet pea that is grown for its charming flowers. To identify peas in your yard, consider the shape and taste of the pods.

Instructions

1. Look at the plant's growth pattern. Snap peas require a strong support to climb on, while garden peas, sweet peas and snow peas are available as climbing or bush plants.

2. Inspect the flowers. All edible garden peas have small, white flowers, while sweet peas produce larger, fragrant flowers in white, pink, magenta or purple.

3. Inspect the pods. Snow peas form elongated, flat pods with small seeds. True garden peas are dark green and form rounded pods filled with plump seeds. Snap peas produce large, crunchy pods filled with seeds.

4. Run your fingernail along the seam of the pea pod to open it. True garden peas open easily to reveal a line of plump seeds. Varieties with wrinkled seeds, such as Daybreak, Spring, Little Marvel and Sparkle, have a sweet taste and are most often grown in home gardens. Varieties with smooth seeds are used commercially for dry peas.

5. Taste the pods. Snow and snap peas have sweet, edible pods that may snap when you eat them. The pods of garden peas are more starchy and less sweet, making them unpalatable.

Tips & Warnings

• Regardless of the variety, plant peas in early spring, as soon as the weather can be worked. Keep the soil evenly moist and harvest the peas when they are immature. Eat or freeze the peas within one day.

References

• Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Growing Peas and Snap Beans in the Home Garden
• University of Illinois Extension: Peas
• Oregon State University Extension: Sweet Peas are a Classic in English Gardens

Resources

• University of Nebraska Lincoln: Growing Peas