Three species of peas are known today:
- Pisum sativum L. extends from Iran and Turkmenistan through anterior Asia, northern Africa, and southern Europe
- P. fulvum is found in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel
- P. abyssinicum is found from Yemen and Ethiopia
Where do peas get their energy from?
Peas originate from the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East, where they can still be found growing wild today. Some of the oldest dated peas have …
Where do Peaches come from originally?
Mar 27, 2015 · Undomesticated pea remains were found at Ohalo II in Israel, in layers dated about 23,000 years ago. The earliest evidence for the purposeful cultivation of peas is from the Near East at the site of Jerf el Ahmar, Syria about 9,300 calendar years BCE (11,300 years ago). Ahihud, a Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in Israel, had domestic peas in a storage pit with other legumes …
Where did the Food Black Eyed Peas originate from?
While the origins of domesticated peas have not been definitely determined, the pea is one of the oldest cultivated crops. The wild plant is native to the Mediterranean region, and ancient remains dating to the late Neolithic Period have been found in the Middle East.
Where do peas grow in the US?
Real Food Encyclopedia | Peas. Peas are a type of legume native to the Middle East, specifically to the area around what is now Turkey and Iraq . According to scientists, domestication of wild pea plants probably began with the dawn of agriculture itself, with carbonized pea remains showing up in Neolithic archeological sites in Turkey and Iraq (around 7,000 to 6,000 BCE), …
Where did peas first come from?
the Middle EastWhile the origins of domesticated peas have not been definitely determined, the pea is one of the oldest cultivated crops. The wild plant is native to the Mediterranean region, and ancient remains dating to the late Neolithic Period have been found in the Middle East.
What countries do peas come from?
The major producing countries of field peas are Russia and China, followed by Canada, Europe, Australia and the United States. Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States raise over 4.5 million acres and are major exporters of peas.
Where did green peas came from?
The main center of origin and development of this pea is middle Asia, from northwest India through Afghanistan and adjacent areas. A second area of development lies in the Near East, and a third includes the plateau and mountains of Ethiopia.
Are peas native to England?
The garden pea was an early introduction in northern Europe and Asia and as far west as England and east as far as China.
Who invented peas?
Peas are thought to have originated in Middle Asia and the central plateau of Ethiopia. The world's first sweet tasting pea was developed in the 18th century by amateur plant breeder Thomas Edward Knight of Downton, near Salisbury, England.
Are peas the oldest vegetable?
Peas are among the oldest cultivated vegetables and once served as a dietary cornerstone for the early agrarian societies of Europe and the Middle East. The English word for pea derives from Latin pisum, a term that now serves as the name of the genus to which peas belong.
When were peas invented?
Peas are one of several legumes, and a "founder crop" domesticated in the Fertile Crescent about 11,000 years ago. The earliest human consumption of wild peas was at least 23,000 years ago, and perhaps by our Neanderthal cousins as long ago as 46,000 years ago.
Are peas native to the Americas?
Peas are not a native American vegetable. They were cultivated in the Neolithic Age, and evidence of peas has been found in burial tombs and caves from thousands of years ago.
When did peas come to England?
The two oldest named pea varieties mentioned as being grown in England date from the late 15th century. Hastyngez, or Hastyz, peas were a large early variety, sown in November and overwintered.
What is Scotland's national vegetable?
The garden pea. It grows easily throughout Britain, and has done for centuries. Its name dates from Chaucer's time, when it was known as pease. In its dried form, the pea is the basis for traditional staples such as pease porridge.
What food is indigenous to Britain?
Traditional British Foods and Where to Find ThemShepherd's Pie. ... Beef Wellington. ... Fish and Chips. ... Chicken Tikka Masala. ... Steak and Kidney Pie. ... Eton Mess. ... Afternoon Tea. ... Cornish Pasty.More items...•
What vegetables are native to Europe?
7. I was taken out of the wild in Europe and turned into all of the following: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collards....The Origin of Cultivated Fruits and Vegetables.SourceFruitsVegetablesEurope (Western)ParsnipTurnipEurope (Eastern)AppleEndive LettucePearHorseradish45 more rows
Description
Since 2003, global cultivation has ranged between 1.6 to 2.2 million planted hectares (4–5.4 million acres) producing 12–17.4 million tons per year.
Pea Domestication
Pisum sativa (Sugar Snap peas). Jenny Dettrick / Moment / Getty Images
Studying Peas
Peas were one of the first plants studied by geneticists, starting with Thomas Andrew Knight in the 1790s, not to mention the famous studies by Gregor Mendel in the 1860s. But, interestingly enough, mapping the pea genome has lagged behind other crops because it has such a large and complex genome.
Selected Sources
Abbo, S., A. Gopher, and S. Lev-Yadun. " The Domestication of Crop Plants ." Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences (Second Edition). Eds. Murray, Brian G., and Denis J. Murphy. Oxford: Academic Press, 2017. 50–54. Print.
Fun Facts about Peas
Pea plants apparently communicate with one another. Yup, stressed-out peas communicate their discomfort to other pea plants around them, which make the peas on the receiving end freak out, too.
What to Look for When Buying Peas
Garden peas come in a pretty wide range of sizes: the smallest, called “ petit pois ” (“little peas” in French) are the sweetest and most tender, while larger garden peas tend to be a bit starchier. Garden peas are usually bright green, but they also come in yellow and purple varieties.
Sustainability of Peas
Frozen peas make an appearance at number 43 on the latest Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, due to a possible plethora of pesticides used on conventionally grown peas (most of which end up frozen).
Eating Peas
Fresh peas in the pod will keep for at least a week in the produce drawer of your refrigerator; even after a longer period of time, when the pods look a little gnarly, the peas inside are usually okay.
History
The black eye pea is cultivated throughout the world. It originates from West Africa.
Cultivation
This heat-loving crop should be sown after all danger of frost has passed and the soil is warm. Seeds sown too early will rot before germination. Black-eyed peas are extremely drought tolerant, so excessive watering should be avoided.
Lucky New Year food
In the Southern United States, eating black-eyed peas or Hoppin' John (a traditional soul food) on New Year's Day is thought to bring prosperity in the new year.
Culinary uses worldwide
In Egypt, black-eyed peas are called lobia. Cooked with onions, garlic, meat, and tomato juice, and served with Egyptian rice with some pastina called shaerya mixed in, it makes the most famous rice dish in Egypt.
Overview
The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower. The name is also used to describe other edible seeds from the Fabaceae such as the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and the seeds from several species of Lathyrus.
Description
A pea is a most commonly green, occasionally golden yellow, or infrequently purple pod-shaped vegetable, widely grown as a cool-season vegetable crop. The seeds may be planted as soon as the soil temperature reaches 10 °C (50 °F), with the plants growing best at temperatures of 13 to 18 °C (55 to 64 °F). They do not thrive in the summer heat of warmer temperate and lowland tropical climates, but do grow well in cooler, high-altitude, tropical areas. Many cultivars reach m…
History
The wild pea is restricted to the Mediterranean Basin and the Near East. The earliest archaeological finds of peas date from the late Neolithic era of current Greece, Syria, Turkey, Israel, Iraq and Jordan. In Egypt, early finds date from c. 4800–4400 BC in the Nile delta area, and from c. 3800–3600 BC in Upper Egypt. The pea was also present in Georgia in the 5th millennium BC. Farther east, the finds are younger. Peas were present in Afghanistan c. 2000 BC; in Harappa…
Modern culinary use
In modern times peas are usually boiled or steamed, which breaks down the cell walls and makes the taste sweeter and the nutrients more bioavailable. Along with broad beans and lentils, these formed an important part of the diet of most people in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe during the Middle Ages. By the 17th and 18th centuries, it had become popular to eat peas "green", that is, while they are immature and right after they are picked. New cultivars of peas were devel…
Manufacturing frozen peas
In order to freeze and preserve peas, they must first be grown, picked, and shelled. Usually, the more tender the peas are, the more likely that they will be used in the final product. The peas must be put through the process of freezing shortly after being picked so that they do not spoil too soon. Once the peas have been selected, they are placed in ice water and allowed to cool. After, they are sprayed with water to remove any residual dirt or dust that may remain on them. The ne…
Varieties
There are many varieties (cultivars) of garden peas. Some of the most common varieties are listed here. PMR indicates some degree of powdery mildewresistance; afila types, also called semi-leafless, have clusters of tendrils instead of leaves. Unless otherwise noted these are so called dwarf varieties which grow to an average height of about 1m. Giving the vines support is recommended, but not required. Extra dwarf are suitable for container growing, reaching only ab…
Pests and diseases
A variety of diseases affect peas through a number of pathogens, including insects, viruses, bacteria and fungi. In particular, virus disease of peas has worldwide economic importance.
Additionally, insects such as the pea leaf weevil (Sitona lineatus) can damage peas and other pod fruits. The pea leaf weevil is native to Europe, but has spread to other places such as Alberta, Canada. They are about 3.5 millimetres (0.14 in)—5.5 millimetres (0.22 in) long and are distingui…
Peas in science
In the mid-19th century, Austrian monk Gregor Mendel's observations of pea pods led to the principles of Mendelian genetics, the foundation of modern genetics. He ended up growing and examining about 28,000 pea plants in the course of his experiments.
Mendel chose peas for his experiments because he could grow them easily, develop pure-bred strains, protect them from cross-pollination, and control their pollination. Mendel cross-bred tall …