Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus) are not edible and are poisonous if ingested. They are an entirely different genus to edible green peas (Pisium sativum).
Are all sweet peas edible?
Since they are members of the legume family, people often wonder, can you eat sweet peas? No! All sweet peas plants are toxic.
Which peas are not edible?
Although garden peas, (Pisum sativum) such as English peas, edible podded peas and snow peas are edible, sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are poisonous – especially the flowers and seeds.
Are all pea pods edible?
Snow peas, also known as sugar peas, have edible flat pods with small peas inside them. Snap peas also have edible pods but they have full-size peas in them. Then there are garden peas. The pods of garden peas, or sweet peas, are not eaten.
Can you eat the peas from sweet pea pods?
Sweet peas will keep flowering if you pick the flowers regularly – a good excuse to have some beautiful flowers in your home. Remember- sweet pea seed pods look similar to edible pea pods but they are poisonous and must not be eaten.
Which part of sweet pea do we eat?
pod
Sweet peas, or sugar snap peas are heavier and thicker than than snow peas and deliciously sweet. Both peas and pod are edible on these tender veggies. Sweet peas tend to be about 2-3 inches long and grow on a climbing plant.
What part of the sweet pea plant is edible?
3. Almost every part of the pea plant is edible. Of course we know the peas themselves are delicious, but in many varieties such as snow peas and sugar snap peas, the pods are also edible. An often overlooked but delicious part of the pea plant is the pea shoot.
Are there poisonous peas?
Abrus precatorius beans (also known as rosary peas or jequirity beans) are distinctive-looking red seeds with a black spot that are commonly used in jewelry and toys, especially from foreign sources. The entire plant is toxic, but the beans are highly toxic to humans.
What happens if you eat sweet pea?
Symptoms: Accidental ingestion does not result in poisoning. However eating large quantities of seed for weeks to months can result in a paralytic syndrome. Symptoms can include paralysis, slow and weak pulse, breathing difficulty and convulsions. Warning: Seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
What’s the difference between peas and sweet peas?
For one, green peas are typically grown for their pods and seeds, while sweet peas are grown for their flowers. This means that green peas are generally harvested earlier than sweet peas. Additionally, green peas have a more starchy flavor, while sweet peas are sweeter and more delicate.
How do you know if pea pods are edible?
Edible pod peas are peas where the parchment has been bred out of the pod so the young pods stay tender. While there are a number of edible pod pea varieties, they come from two ilks: the Chinese pea pod (also known as snow pea or sugar pea) and snap peas.
Can you eat raw sweet peas?
Garden peas are sometimes called sweet peas or English peas. The pods are firm and rounded, but you must shell them, remove the peas inside, then discard the pods before eating. The peas are sweet and may be eaten raw or cooked; these are the peas you typically see canned or in the freezer section.
What can you do with sweet pea pods?
Sweet pea pods and seeds are not edible, but you can harvest them from the plant to propagate more flowers. Sweet pea flowers come in many colors, making them a popular choice for gardens and floral arrangements.
Are any pea pods poisonous?
Sweet peas produce pods with peas inside them, and these are peas are poisonous, but only present a low toxicity hazard to humans. From reports of a gardener I spoke to who accidentally ate them, they taste bitter when eaten fresh, but when cooked the bitterness goes away but they don’t have much flavour.
Should I remove sweet pea pods?
Once your sweet pea plants are in full flower make sure that you dead-head them and remove seed pods as soon as possible to encourage more blooms to be produced.
How do I know when sweet peas are ready to harvest?
Peas should be just about ready for harvest 3 weeks after the flowers appear. Shelling peas are ready when the pods have swelled and are nearly cylindrical shape. Edible pod peas are ready when they are 2-3 inches long, before the seeds begin to swell.
Do sweet peas grow back every year?
Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) only live for a year, dying after setting seed. But don’t let this put you off as they are super easy to grow from seed. Perennial species such as Lathyrus latifolius come back year after year, but mostly lack fragrance and there are fewer to choose from.
Are Sweetpea flowers edible?
Only vegetable pea flowers can be eaten, not sweet pea flowers which are toxic. The petals can be added to salads, or cooked slightly and sweetened for a treat.
Can you save sweet pea seeds for next year?
Saving sweet pea seeds
Seed can be collected in early September. Leave the seed pods on the plants until they have turned a paper bag colour. Collect them on a dry day, remove them from their pods and store in paper bags in a dry place until you a ready to sow them.
What to do with sweet peas when finished flowering?
Cut down your sweet peas when they finish flowering, but leave the roots in the ground as they have little nodules on them which will add nitrogen to your soil.
How do you identify sweet peas?
They’re best in cool seasons like winter and early spring. Description: Sweet peas are vining plants that climb vigorously — six to eight feet over fences and other supports. The flowers are pink, white, red, lavender, purple, and near blue.