Best Peas for Heirloom
24 pea varieties well-suited for heirloom varieties. Open-pollinated heritage cultivars with unique flavor.
Alderman
Also known as Tall Telephone, this vigorous heirloom climbing pea from 1891 produces some of the largest and most flavorful shelling peas available. The impressive 6-foot vines yield massive pods packed with 8-10 sweet, large peas perfect for fresh eating or preserving. This variety is ideal for gardeners who want maximum production from minimal space.
Blue Podded Blauwschokker
A stunning Dutch heirloom that produces vibrant purple pods and bright magenta flowers, making it as ornamental as it is edible. This unique variety has been treasured since the 1800s for its striking appearance and excellent flavor as both a snow pea and dried pea. The purple pods turn green when cooked, creating a delightful culinary surprise.
Carouby de Maussane
A spectacular French heirloom snow pea that produces enormous purple-flowered vines and the largest edible pods of any pea variety. These impressive 4-5 inch wide, flat pods are incredibly tender and sweet when harvested young, making them a gourmet delight. The vigorous climbing plants create an edible privacy screen while producing abundant harvests throughout the cool season.
Cascadia
Cascadia boasts high yields of 2 1/2-3" pods on 18-20" vines. Similar in maturity to PLS 141, but with slightly smaller pod size. 2 pods per node on upright plants. Remove string from pods before cooking.
Dwarf Grey Sugar
An attractive addition to salad mixes, Dwarf Grey Sugar is the preferred variety for both taste and tenderness. A great choice for restaurant sales. 28" vines. Edible Flowers: The flowers, with their mild and pea-like flavor, are a popular choice for brightening up salad mix. They can also be used in micro mix salads, as a garnish for desserts, or for candying to place on cakes.
Kelvedon Wonder
A British favorite since 1925 that combines early maturity with exceptional productivity in a compact plant. This reliable variety produces abundant crops of well-filled pods containing 7-9 sweet, tender peas that have made it a mainstay in European gardens for nearly a century. Kelvedon Wonder's dependable performance and superior flavor make it perfect for gardeners seeking a proven, space-efficient shelling pea.
Knight
Knight is a classic heirloom pea variety prized for its sweet, tender pods and excellent fresh flavor. Maturing in 90-100 days, it produces vigorous plants that thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. The variety is valued by home gardeners for its outstanding taste straight from the garden and reliability across various soil types. Knight peas are highly susceptible to common pests including aphids, thrips, and pea leaf weevils, requiring attentive monitoring during the growing season. This easy-to-grow heirloom remains a favorite for fresh eating and traditional pea production.
Laxton's Progress No. 1
A classic English heirloom shelling pea dating back to the 1920s, beloved for its exceptional productivity and sweet flavor. This dwarf variety produces plump pods filled with tender, bright green peas that are perfect for fresh eating or freezing. Despite its compact size, it delivers impressive yields and has been a home garden favorite for nearly a century.
Lincoln
A dependable All-America Selections winner from 1908 that remains one of the most popular shelling peas for home gardeners. This variety produces heavy yields of dark green pods filled with exceptionally sweet peas that freeze beautifully. Lincoln's consistent performance and excellent flavor have made it a garden staple for over a century.
Little Marvel
A compact heirloom shelling pea perfect for small gardens and beginning gardeners since 1908. Despite its dwarf stature, Little Marvel produces an abundant harvest of plump, sweet peas that mature all at once for easy picking. This reliable variety consistently delivers exceptional flavor and has been a garden favorite for over a century.
Mammoth Melting Sugar
An impressive heirloom snow pea variety dating back to the 1880s, producing enormous 4-5 inch edible pods on towering vines. The sweet, crisp pods literally melt in your mouth and are perfect for stir-fries and fresh eating. This vigorous climber is a conversation starter in any garden with its exceptional size and productivity.
Oregon Giant
Abundant yields of medium-green pods up to 4 1/2" long x 1" wide. The 30" tall, white-flowered vines produce 1 to 2 pods per node. Bred by the late Dr. James Baggett of Oregon State University.
Oregon Sugar Pod II
A great substitute for Oregon Giant, as it is very similar. Excellent emergence. Normal, 38" tall vines produce very high yields of stringless pods. 2 pods per node.
Progress No. 9
A dependable English shelling pea that has been a garden favorite since the 1930s, prized for its consistent production and excellent flavor. This compact, dwarf variety produces plump pods filled with 7-9 large, sweet peas that are perfect for fresh eating or preserving. Its reliable performance and disease resistance make it an ideal choice for beginning gardeners.
Provider
Provider is a classic heirloom snap pea variety that reaches maturity in approximately 50 days. This easy-to-grow cultivar produces tender, sweet peas with the authentic garden pea flavor that home gardeners prize. Provider peas are known for their reliable production and disease resistance, making them an excellent choice for beginners. The plants yield abundant crops of crisp, flavorful pods ideal for fresh eating, cooking, or freezing. This heirloom variety thrives in full sun with well-drained, fertile soil enriched with organic matter.
Purple Podded
A stunning ornamental edible that produces beautiful deep purple pods filled with bright green peas, creating a striking contrast in the garden. This heritage variety from the 1800s not only looks amazing but also delivers excellent flavor and productivity. The purple pods make harvesting easy since they stand out dramatically against the green foliage, though they turn green when cooked.
Purple Top
Purple Top is a heirloom pea variety known for its distinctive purple-tinged pod coloring that fades to green at maturity. This early maturing variety reaches harvest readiness in approximately 37 days, producing sweet, tender pods with a delicate, subtle pea flavor. The plants thrive in full sun and well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Purple Top stands out among heirloom peas for its unique visual appeal and exceptional sweetness, making it a prized choice for both fresh eating and culinary use. The variety is moderately challenging to grow and requires attention to common pea pests including aphids, spider mites, and slugs.
Sugar Ann
Consistently the sweetest bush type in our trials, Sugar Ann produces uniform crops of delicious 2-2 1/2" long peas that hold their flavor well. Matures exceptionally early, with a concentrated set on 20" dwarf vines with 1-2 pods per node. AAS Winner.
Sugar Snap
Johnny's superior strain. From an ongoing collaboration with the family of the late Dr. Calvin Lamborn, the breeder of Sugar Snap. A household name for its sweet, crisp pods, Sugar Snap germinates well in cold, wet soil, and the vigorous plants quickly produce a thick stand that requires support. Vines avg. 72" with 1 or 2 pods per node. Yields well over a long season in both hot and cold weather. Remove string from pods before cooking. Needs trellising. AAS Winner. Also available in organic seed.
Super Sugar Snap
A disease-resistant version of the beloved Sugar Snap with more manageable 60" vines. Early yields are heavier over a shorter period. Not quite as sweet as the original. Pods avg. 3" long with 1 or 2 per node. Remove string from pods before cooking. Needs trellising.
Tall Telephone
A classic heirloom shelling pea from the 1880s that remains beloved for its exceptional productivity and sweet flavor. This tall-growing variety produces an abundance of large pods filled with 8-10 tender, sweet peas that are perfect for fresh eating or freezing. Tall Telephone is the variety that made generations of gardeners fall in love with homegrown peas.
Telephone
A treasured heirloom from the 1870s that remains one of the finest shelling peas ever developed. This tall, vigorous climber produces enormous pods packed with 8-10 large, exceptionally sweet peas that have satisfied gardeners for over 150 years. The impressive height and prolific production make Telephone a garden showstopper that delivers old-fashioned pea flavor at its absolute best.
Thomas Laxton
A prized English heirloom from 1900 renowned for producing some of the sweetest, most tender peas available to home gardeners. This early-season variety beats many modern peas to harvest while delivering superior flavor that's particularly sweet when picked young. Thomas Laxton has remained popular for over 120 years because it consistently produces restaurant-quality peas that make every gardener feel like a gourmet.
Tom Thumb
The ultimate space-saving pea variety, Tom Thumb grows just 8-10 inches tall yet produces a surprising abundance of sweet, tender peas. This Victorian-era heirloom is perfect for container gardens, small spaces, and children's gardens. Despite its tiny stature, it delivers full-sized flavor and requires no staking or trellising.
Why These Peas Work for Heirloom
Heirloom varieties are open-pollinated cultivars passed down for generations — prized for complex flavor, storied history, and seed-saving potential. These varieties let you save seeds and grow the same crop next year.