Earth Pea, Earth-chestnut
Lathyrus tuberosus
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It is a climbing plant. The rhizomes bear small tubers. The stems are 30-120 cm tall. The leaves are compound with 1 pair of leaflets. The flowers are in groups or 2-7 flowers. They are purple-red.
There are about 150 Lathyrus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. In western China it grows near riverbanks between 500-2,400 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zone 6.
Countries/locations it is found in
Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Europe, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Middle East, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, North America, Poland, Romania, Russia, Siberia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia
How it is used for food
The root or bulb is cooked and eaten. They can be boiled or roasted. They are also eaten fresh. It is also dried and made into flour. The tubers have been used to flavour whisky. The seeds are occasionally eaten. The leaves are used in salads and omellets.
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. The tubers are especially eaten by children. It is sold in local markets.
Edible parts
Tubers, root, leaves, vegetable, seeds
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Borso viloja, Borso viola. Dutch mice, Earthnut-pea, Gasce, Groundnut peavine, Gurul, Heath pea, Henc, Kochghes, Koskoz, Limba cucului, Loncejas, Oresina, Repnica, Seapahkel, Subioles, Subuetta, Tchpruk, Tero, Tuberous vetch, Vadborso