Pisum sativum

Pisum sativum (garden pea) — one of the oldest crops in cultivation and the plant Mendel used to found genetics. Shelling, mangetout and sugarsnap types in our pea range.

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  • Sugar Snap Pea Delikett seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Snap Pea Delikett (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Snap Pea Seeds Delikett Pisum Sativum Annual
    €5,95

    Delikett sugar snap peas for pod harvest sugar snap pea seeds Delikett are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who enjoy peas with edible pods. This snap pea variety Delikett forms tender pods that can...
  • Peas Ezethas Krombek Blauwschok seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Peas Ezethas Krombek Blauwschok (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Peas Seeds Ezethas Krombek Blauwschok Pisum Sativum Annual
    €3,96€4,95

    Peas for trellis growing with blue pods peas seeds ‘Ezetha’s Krombek Blauwschok’ are an annual vegetable choice within the beans and legumes group, valued for their distinctive blue podded peas appearance in the garden. This...
  • Pea Prince Albert 100g seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Pea Prince Albert 100g (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Pea Seeds Prince Albert Pisum Sativum Annual Variety 100g
    €3,96€4,95

    Prince Albert pea variety for early harvest pea seeds ‘Prince Albert’ are an annual vegetable variety valued for an early crop and reliable performance in the kitchen garden. This is a classic shelling type, grown...
  • Snap Pea Delikett seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Snap Pea Delikett (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Snap Pea Seeds Delikett Pisum Sativum Annual Variety
    €3,96€4,95

    Snap pea seeds for patios and balconies snap pea seeds are a practical choice for small-space vegetable growing, and the Delikett snap pea variety is well suited to patios, balconies, and compact gardens. This annual...
  • Sugar Pea Record seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Pea Record (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Pea Seeds Record Pisum Sativum Annual
    €5,45

    Record sugar peas for tender pods sugar pea seeds ‘Record’ are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who enjoy mangetout-style pods picked young and used whole. This climbing pea variety is known for early podding...
  • Karina Pea seeds (Pisum sativum) – organic annual vegetable Karina Pea (Pisum sativum) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Karina Pea Seeds Organic Pisum Sativum Annual
    €5,95

    Organic Karina pea seeds for productive gardens karina pea seeds are an organic, annual vegetable seed for gardeners who want a reliable karina garden pea variety with a compact, tidy habit. This cultivar forms dwarf...
  • Pea Karina seeds (Pisum sativum) – organic annual vegetable Pea Karina (Pisum sativum) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Pea Karina Seeds Organic Pisum Sativum Annual
    €6,95

    Organic pea variety for productive kitchen gardens pea karina seeds are an organic, annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want a reliable shelling pea for home harvests. This is a wrinkled pea variety with a...
  • Pea Eminent seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Pea Eminent (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Pea Seeds Eminent Pisum Sativum Annual Variety
    €3,96€4,95

    Pea variety Eminent for productive gardens pea seeds ‘Eminent’ are an annual vegetable legume choice for gardeners who want a reliable, early-starting pea type with a compact habit. This is an eminent pea variety seed...
  • Sugar Peas Grijze Roodbloeiende Purple seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Peas Grijze Roodbloeiende Purple (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Peas Grijze Roodbloeiende Purple Flower Seeds Pisum Sativum Annual
    €4,95

    Classic annual pea with striking purple blooms sugar peas seeds are a popular choice for gardeners looking for an annual vegetable pea with decorative flowering and productive plants. This variety is known for its distinctive...
  • Peas Vidor 100g seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Peas Vidor 100g (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Peas Seeds Vidor Pisum Sativum Annual Variety 100g
    €5,95

    Vidor pea seeds for productive garden harvests peas seeds Vidor are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want a reliable shelling pea with attractive, pointed pods. This mid early pea variety is known for...
  • Sugar Pea Norli seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Pea Norli (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Pea Seeds Norli Pisum Sativum Annual Variety
    €5,45

    Norli annual pea variety for sunny beds sugar pea seeds ‘Norli’ are an annual vegetable garden choice for growers who want tender, smooth pods that are typically picked and used whole. This variety is known...
  • Sugar Peas De Grace seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Peas De Grace (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Sugar Peas Seeds De Grace Pisum Sativum Annual Variety
    €3,96€4,95

    De Grace variety for compact garden harvests sugar peas seeds ‘De Grace’ are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want neat, productive plants without the need for supports. This dwarf pea variety stays reasonably...
  • Sugar Peas Heraut seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Peas Heraut (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Peas Seeds Heraut Pisum Sativum Annual
    €4,95

    Sweet, tender pods from an early annual Sugar peas seeds ‘Heraut’ are a vigorous annual vegetable choice for gardeners who enjoy long, light green pods with a pleasantly sweet flavour and tender texture. This is...
  • Sugar Peas De Grace 100g seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Peas De Grace 100g (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Peas Seeds De Grace Pisum Sativum Annual 100g
    €4,95

    De Grace sugar peas for vegetable gardens sugar peas seeds ‘De Grace’ are a classic annual choice for gardeners who want tender, flat pods with a mild, delicate flavor. This low growing pea variety forms...
  • Sugar Pea Oregon Pod 100g seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Pea Oregon Pod 100g (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Pea Seeds Pisum Sativum Oregon Sugar Pod Annual 100g
    €4,95

    Oregon Sugar Pod sugar peas for gardens sugar pea seeds are a popular choice for gardeners who want tender, edible pods from an annual vegetable pea. Oregon Sugar Pod is known as an early podding...
  • Peas Désirée 100g seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Peas Désirée 100g (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Peas Désirée Seeds Pisum Sativum Annual 100g
    €4,76€5,95

    Peas Désirée for classic capucijner harvests peas désirée seeds are a traditional capucijner pea type grown as an annual vegetable for home gardens. This désirée pea variety is valued for its distinctive character in the...
  • Sugar Pea Heraut seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Pea Heraut (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sugar Pea Seeds Heraut Pisum Sativum Annual Variety
    €4,95

    Early annual pea variety with long pods sugar pea seeds are a classic choice for gardeners who enjoy crisp, tender pods and reliable performance in the vegetable patch. This annual variety is known as an...
  • Pea Shoots Microgreens seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual microgreens Pea Shoots Microgreens (Pisum sativum) – annual microgreens seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Pea Shoots Seeds Pisum Sativum Annual Microgreens
    €3,96€4,95

    Pea microgreens for fresh indoor harvests pea shoots seeds are a popular choice for producing tender, sweet-tasting baby leaf greens in a compact space. These annual microgreens are valued for their crisp stems and young...
  • Pea Ezethas Krombek Blue Podded seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Pea Ezethas Krombek Blue Podded (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Pea Seeds Ezethas Krombek Blue Podded Pisum Sativum Annual
    €4,95

    Blue Podded Pea Seeds For Climbing Growth Pea seeds ‘Ezetha’s Krombek Blue Podded’ are annual vegetable seeds selected for vigorous, climbing pea plants and distinctive blue-tinged pods. This blue podded pea variety is grown as...
  • Sugar Peas Grijze Roodbloeiende seeds (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable Sugar Peas Grijze Roodbloeiende (Pisum sativum) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Sugar Peas Seeds Pisum Sativum Annual Grijze Roodbloeiende
    €3,96€4,95

    Climbing sugar peas with purple red flowers sugar peas seeds are a classic choice for an annual vegetable garden, valued for their tender pods and decorative blooms. This climbing pea variety develops vigorous vines that...
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Pisum sativum — the garden pea

Pisum sativum is the botanical name for the garden pea, a cool-season climbing legume and one of the oldest crops in cultivation. Sweet and tender, it is the species behind our whole pea range within the peas and beans collection.

History & origin

The pea is among the very first plants humans ever farmed, domesticated in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East and the eastern Mediterranean around 10,000 years ago, at the dawn of agriculture itself. For most of history peas were grown to be dried and stored as a winter staple; the fashion for eating sweet, fresh green peas only took hold in Europe a few centuries ago.

The pea also holds a special place in science: in the 1860s the monk Gregor Mendel used Pisum sativum in his garden experiments to work out the basic laws of inheritance, founding the study of genetics. Its name is simply the classical Latin pisum (pea) with sativum, “cultivated.”

Botanical characteristics

A climbing annual that clings by tendrils, the pea fixes its own nitrogen as a legume and so needs little feeding. There are three main kinds: shelling peas, podded for the sweet peas inside; mangetout, eaten flat and whole; and sugarsnaps, eaten whole when plump. Most appreciate twiggy support like their cousins the climbing beans, while dwarf types are quick enough to feature among our fast-growing vegetables.

Growing Pisum sativum from seed

Peas love cool weather, so they are among the first crops sown each year — from early spring, with hardy types even sown in autumn. Sow direct into cool, moist soil, give support early, and pick often once the pods fill to keep the plants productive. Sown thickly, peas also give sweet, tender shoots for salads in just weeks. Our vegetable sowing calendar shows the windows and our soil guide helps you prepare the bed.

Ready to grow peas? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Peas · Peas & Beans · Climbing Beans · Bush Beans · Fast-Growing Veg

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pisum sativum?
It is the botanical name for the garden pea, a cool-season climbing legume.

Where do peas originate?
From the Fertile Crescent of the Near East and Mediterranean, farmed around 10,000 years ago.

Why is the pea famous in science?
Gregor Mendel used it in the 1860s to discover the basic laws of inheritance, founding genetics.

What are the types of pea?
Shelling peas for podding, mangetout eaten flat and whole, and sugarsnaps eaten whole when plump.

When do I sow peas?
Early — they like cool weather, so sow from early spring, with some hardy types sown in autumn.