Asparagus Pea

Asparagus Pea is an easy to grow gourmet vegetable with a unique flavour, rather like tender asparagus and fresh young peas, which has been enjoyed for centuries. The nutty, asparagus-flavoured pods are extremely popular in Asia but remain an expensive delicacy in the UK.

Ornamental and easy to grow, the brilliant rusty orange flowers are followed by three winged peas. Devour when no more than 1inch long and you'll love them, fibres in the pod toughen as they mature so always harvest young and tender and serve sliced very finely.

How to Grow Asparagus Pea from Seed

Asparagus Pea is an extremely old gourmet vegetable, dating back to at least 1590, with a unique flavour, rather like tender asparagus and fresh young peas.

The small, shrubby plants produce pretty, sweet-pea-like maroon flowers which are followed by the small edible seed pods, best harvested when no more than an inch long and enjoyed steamed whole and served like asparagus with just a knob of butter and a little salt.

Sow Asparagus Pea seeds under glass in pots in early spring or outdoors in late spring when the soil has warmed up.

Under glass, sow the seeds individually in 3 inch pots using a good seed compost. Germination usually takes 7 to 14 days at 19-21C or 65-70F.

Harden off and plant out in groups of 3 or 5 spaced 30cm or 12in apart when all risk of frost is gone.