Wild Pea
Pisum sativum elatius
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Pisum sativum elatius is a ANNUAL growing to 2 m (6ft 7in). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to September, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Occasionally bees. The plant is self-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 2
Where it is found
Plants are not known in a genuinely wild condition.
E. Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Seed - cooked or sprouted and eaten raw. A good source of protein. The seeds of this sub-species tend to be of poorer quality than the species, being less rich in sugars. They also develop a hard seed coat as they mature which makes them less desirable for culinary use. Young leaves - cooked.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The seed is contraceptive, fungistatic and spermacidal. The dried and powdered seed has been used as a poultice on the skin where it has an appreciable affect on many types of skin complaint including acne. The oil from the seed, given once a month to women, has shown promise of preventing pregnancy by interfering with the working of progesterone. The oil inhibits endometrial development. In trials, the oil reduced pregnancy rate in women by 60% in a 2 year period and 50% reduction in male sperm count was achieved.
Other
Rating:
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil. Prefers a calcareous soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7.5. Prefers a rich loamy soil. A light soil and a sheltered position is best for early sowings. Peas have long been cultivated as a food crop and a number of distinct forms have emerged. This is the original form of the species and is still found growing wild in Turkey. Peas are good growing companions for radishes, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, beans and turnips. They are inhibited by alliums, gladiolus, fennel and strawberries growing nearby. There is some evidence that if Chinese mustard (Brassica juncea) is grown as a green manure before sowing peas this will reduce the incidence of soil-borne root rots. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.
Propagating it: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow it in situ from early to late spring. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist