Pea Flowers Color?

AlittleSalt · February 6, 2015

We bought two types/varieties of peas this year. One is Sugar Snap. I found all kinds of pictures of how the flowers look. White and nice looking.

The other variety is Wando. I found zero pictures of their flowers. If any of you know what the flower looks like - I would really like to know.

The reason why pea flower colors are important to me is because one row of peas is going to be planted on the front fence of our garden. Everyone drives or walks by the front fence, so I would like the prettier flowered variety there.

The back fence is 45 feet away. I'm not sure if peas can cross, but I would think 45' apart should discourage crosses. I could be wrong?

Thanks in advance.

FLRedHeart · February 6, 2015

Hi ALittleSalt,

I really smiled when I read you were worried about the peas crossing. Pea seed is cheap enough that I eat them since a fresh pea is more valuble to me than saving them and for shel;ling peas like Wando that goes double!

Anyway I have Wando in my garden right now. I would not put it in front because it gets pretty ugly after not too long like all the taller growing peas around here. Wando is white with a slight cream yellow suggestion on mine. The plants are beat since they were planted in October, but there is still a flower here and there so when I saw your post I went out to take a couple of pics for you. I would go for a dwarf variety with bright white flowers, like Laxton's Progress #9, which look nice and neat. But here are the two pics of Wando. Sorry I hadn't taken pictures when they were going strong.

AlittleSalt · February 6, 2015

Thank you FLRedHeart. That made up my mind. Sugar Snap goes on the front fence.

The Wando flower does look nice though.

We planted some last year that had a lavender flower. I don't remember the variety. They were in those 20 cent packs sold at Walmart. There weren't any this year to buy.

FLRedHeart · February 6, 2015

Good luck A Little Salt! Are you sure they weren't sugar snap peas with the purple flowers, because a few of those are pink, purple and two-toned, extremely attractive... or did you look up the exact "Snap Pea" variety you got or see the flower on the package pictured?

AlittleSalt · February 6, 2015

It is the variety "Sugar Snap" http://www.rareseeds.com/sugar-snap-pea/

FarmerShawn · February 6, 2015

A cross, if it happened, wouldn't affect your current crop of peas in any case. But my understanding is that, like tomatoes, OP varieties of peas and beans are self-pollinated before the blossom opens, so the chance of an accidental cross is very small. Of course, for hybrids, seeds saved may very well not grow true to type, again like tomatoes. I'm afraid I can't comment on blossom beauty. While I have grown many different varieties, I've never paid much attention to the blossom appearance. If I wanted pretty in a pea blossom, I'd look into sweet peas, not eating peas.

Stvrob · February 6, 2015

You could always plant sweet peas along the front. No one ever complains about their looks.

Hunt-Grow-Cook · February 6, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

It is the variety "Sugar Snap" http://www.rareseeds.com/sugar-snap-pea/

Is your plan to trellis them up the fence or just plant next to it? Im curious if this variety will actually climb. For what its worth I grew Sugar Ann Snap (Also from baker creek) and it is a very compact vine that got maybe a foot or so tall. I used single thin bamboo sticks and they attached to that well enough to make harvesting easier.

FLRedHeart · February 6, 2015

I checked the link for your peas and don't see a picture of any flowers, so you're probably right about them being white or it would probably say something. I thought "Sugar Snap Pea" is a type of pea, not a variety name, whether I'm right or wrong about it ... means to me they are edible thick-sweet and tender podded and not the thinner/immature snow peas like that. I'm sure other people use other names. Anyway, it would be fun to get a purple flower variety next time and plant the white and purple flowered one each on one side of a central support. It would be attractive like that. Then, save the seeds from the white flower ones separate and replant them next time. Because Purple is dominantly inherited, if there is any cross pollination, you'll get 75% purple flowers from them, and who knows maybe some pink LOL, so by doing that you have an attractive display of peas and the next year know first hand how much cross pollination is going on when the rows are butting against each other in your particular garden.

shelleybean · February 6, 2015

Is your goal an edible product with a pretty flower or just the flower? Most edible peas, whether shelling, snap or snow, will have a white flower. There are a few that have purple flowers like Dwarf Grey Sugar, which is a snow pea. This will usually be included in the variety description though because it's not that common. Whether you want the flower or the vegetable, neither types like heat very much and in Texas, you can't expect these to last much past spring. Either will climb by tendril is you give them something to grasp. They climb readily. Let us know what you end up choosing. I think the white flowers are beautiful, myself. The flowering kind of sweet pea comes in so many color combinations, including a lovely coral shade.

AlittleSalt · February 6, 2015

I bought them to eat. Last year was our first year to grow peas. When they started flowering, my wife commented, "Honey, those pea flowers are beautiful." I think Dwarf Grey Sugar was one of them. Then the peas produced and they were the best peas either of us have ever eaten. The ones we tried last year grew to almost 3' tall. I have read that the varieties we bought this year grow to be 6' tall.

The fence they are going to grow on is 4' tall of 2x4 field fence, and then two more feet taller are rebar and plastic-coated colored wiring. We grow morning glories on the front fence. They look really nice on the taller wires. I'll take pictures later this year.

FLRedHeart, you're absolutely right about purple being dominantly inherited. My wife save seeds from 2 years ago that had been mixed colors in 2013. They were mostly all purple in 2014. She saved so many seeds we could plant half the county we lived in - lol. We also bought other colors to mix in later this year.

Morning Glories are very invasive, but they draw bees, bumble bees and humming birds - big time. For a while, in May, there will be both Peas and Morning Glories on that fence.

JJJessee · February 6, 2015

These peas made a pretty flower last year

Carouby De Maussane Snow Pea

An old French heirloom. about 6' vines, large pods.
They tended to toughen as it grew warmer. I may start a little earlier this year this year.

AlittleSalt · February 6, 2015

Those are very nice flowers JJJessee.

I'm starting to think about maybe planting several different peas. I chose the Wando peas because they're supposed to take more hot weather (We'll see). Until reading replies from this thread, I never thought about growing many varieties spread up and down those two 45' long fences. After all, 90 feet of peas is almost a full row.

Too many thoughts and ideas

I better sleep on it.

4season · February 6, 2015

Dwarf gray sugar peas have flowers almost as purple as the Carouby peas. Some packages say they grow 2 feet high and are self supporting, but I have seen them 3 feet high and they do need support.

RJGlew · February 7, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

The reason why pea flower colors are important to me is because one row of peas is going to be planted on the front fence of our garden. Everyone drives or walks by the front fence, so I would like the prettier flowered variety there.

Consider interplanting Sweet Peas.

February 6, 2015	#1
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Pea Flowers Color? We bought two types/varieties of peas this year. One is Sugar Snap. I found all kinds of pictures of how the flowers look. White and nice looking. The other variety is Wando. I found zero pictures of their flowers. If any of you know what the flower looks like - I would really like to know. The reason why pea flower colors are important to me is because one row of peas is going to be planted on the front fence of our garden. Everyone drives or walks by the front fence, so I would like the prettier flowered variety there. The back fence is 45 feet away. I'm not sure if peas can cross, but I would think 45' apart should discourage crosses. I could be wrong? Thanks in advance.

February 6, 2015	#6
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	A cross, if it happened, wouldn't affect your current crop of peas in any case. But my understanding is that, like tomatoes, OP varieties of peas and beans are self-pollinated before the blossom opens, so the chance of an accidental cross is very small. Of course, for hybrids, seeds saved may very well not grow true to type, again like tomatoes. I'm afraid I can't comment on blossom beauty. While I have grown many different varieties, I've never paid much attention to the blossom appearance. If I wanted pretty in a pea blossom, I'd look into sweet peas, not eating peas. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

February 6, 2015	#10
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Is your goal an edible product with a pretty flower or just the flower? Most edible peas, whether shelling, snap or snow, will have a white flower. There are a few that have purple flowers like Dwarf Grey Sugar, which is a snow pea. This will usually be included in the variety description though because it's not that common. Whether you want the flower or the vegetable, neither types like heat very much and in Texas, you can't expect these to last much past spring. Either will climb by tendril is you give them something to grasp. They climb readily. Let us know what you end up choosing. I think the white flowers are beautiful, myself. The flowering kind of sweet pea comes in so many color combinations, including a lovely coral shade. __________________ Michele

February 6, 2015	#11
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I bought them to eat. Last year was our first year to grow peas. When they started flowering, my wife commented, "Honey, those pea flowers are beautiful." I think Dwarf Grey Sugar was one of them. Then the peas produced and they were the best peas either of us have ever eaten. The ones we tried last year grew to almost 3' tall. I have read that the varieties we bought this year grow to be 6' tall. The fence they are going to grow on is 4' tall of 2x4 field fence, and then two more feet taller are rebar and plastic-coated colored wiring. We grow morning glories on the front fence. They look really nice on the taller wires. I'll take pictures later this year. FLRedHeart, you're absolutely right about purple being dominantly inherited. My wife save seeds from 2 years ago that had been mixed colors in 2013. They were mostly all purple in 2014. She saved so many seeds we could plant half the county we lived in - lol. We also bought other colors to mix in later this year. Morning Glories are very invasive, but they draw bees, bumble bees and humming birds - big time. For a while, in May, there will be both Peas and Morning Glories on that fence. Last edited by AlittleSalt; February 6, 2015 at 09:25 PM.

February 6, 2015	#12
JJJessee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Abingdon, Va Posts: 184	Carouby De Maussane Snow Pea These peas made a pretty flower last year Carouby De Maussane Snow Pea An old French heirloom. about 6' vines, large pods. They tended to toughen as it grew warmer. I may start a little earlier this year this year.

February 6, 2015	#2
FLRedHeart Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: FL 8b/9a Posts: 262	Hi ALittleSalt, I really smiled when I read you were worried about the peas crossing. Pea seed is cheap enough that I eat them since a fresh pea is more valuble to me than saving them and for shel;ling peas like Wando that goes double! Anyway I have Wando in my garden right now. I would not put it in front because it gets pretty ugly after not too long like all the taller growing peas around here. Wando is white with a slight cream yellow suggestion on mine. The plants are beat since they were planted in October, but there is still a flower here and there so when I saw your post I went out to take a couple of pics for you. I would go for a dwarf variety with bright white flowers, like Laxton's Progress #9, which look nice and neat. But here are the two pics of Wando. Sorry I hadn't taken pictures when they were going strong.

February 6, 2015	#7
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	You could always plant sweet peas along the front. No one ever complains about their looks.

February 6, 2015	#14
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	Dwarf gray sugar peas have flowers almost as purple as the Carouby peas. Some packages say they grow 2 feet high and are self supporting, but I have seen them 3 feet high and they do need support.