Is Sweet Pea Edible? Find-out Which Part You Can Eat!

For more than 300 years, sweet peas have been used for decorations, gifts and fragrances. The flowers have been a symbol of grace and elegance since the late Victorian period. What makes them so lovable? The answer is simple. Getting such a perfect combination of look and scent is rare.

The name ‘sweet pea’ suggests that it is a member of the versatile pea plant family. So it naturally comes to mind if this plant is similar to other vegetable peas. Though it is an ornamental plant, you cannot but wonder if the seeds contain similar values as other pea vines. You might ask, “is sweet pea edible?”

Yes and No as well, actually both ways to give an answer with positive and negative.

We are here to look for those answers. You’re going to learn about the flowers, seeds, and vines of sweet peas and whether they contain any toxic materials. So, without further delay, let’s dive into it.

Is Sweet Pea Edible?

Are Sweet Pea Edible — The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

The answer is both yes and no. You can eat the vines or shoots of a sweet pea but not the pods or flowers. Sweet pea seeds contain lathyrogen, which is quite harmful to eat.

Lathydrogen can cause a condition called ‘Lathyrus’. As a result, you will feel hardness for breathing, tiredness and paralysis in your limbs.

Sweet peas are considered mildly poisonous plants. Their seeds and flowers contain the amino acid, lathyrogen and other toxic materials. As the amount is not life-threatening, consuming them once or twice will not kill you. But you should avoid eating them as much as possible. However, you can eat the shoots or vine tendrils. They are edible and provide a pea-like flavor.

Can I Decorate My House With Sweet Pea Flowers?

Yes, sweet peas are one of the most popular ornamental flowers. They have been used for centuries in fragrant and decorative bouquets.

The fresh flowers will give you an elegant and vibrant look, and the lively smell will spread the sweetness around the room. Sweet pea is not only famous for simple decoration, but even the perfumers also value this flower and put them in high regard.

Is Sweet Pea Toxic?

Yes, sweet peas can be mildly toxic. Sweet peas contain aminoproprionitrite, which can cause neurological or musculoskeletal weaknesses.

If you keep consuming sweet pea flowers or seeds, you will start showing the symptoms of lethargy, seizure, weakness or paralysis. Usually, animals that keep grazing on sweet peas show these symptoms. So, even if you accidentally consume sweet peas once or twice, you should not continue eating them. It can be detrimental for you.

How Does Sweet Pea Scent?

Sweet peas are popular for their fragrance. The tempting smell of sweet peas makes the room heavenly, and you will feel enchanted. Different varieties of sweet peas have different types of smells.

Some flowers have a strong scent, whereas others have a simple and faint fragrance. There are smells of honey, jasmine and orange blossom that can add freshness to the air.

You can always find sweet peas according to your preferences among the wide varieties. Usually, the fragrance lasts from three days to one week after plucking them. If you want to keep the smell, you can change the flower each week so that the room will always smell fresh and graceful. You can also use sweet pea flowers to make fragrance soap or perfume and preserve the scent.

Are Pets Allergic To Sweet Peas?

No, sweet Peas do not contain any allergic substances. So, if your pets chew on some of the vines or flowers, they will not show any allergic reactions. Instead, eating the plant can make them feel lethargic due to the chemicals in the flowers and the seeds.

If your pets continue to eat sweet peas, that can be life-threatening. As sweet peas contain poisonous substances that can cause a disease named lathyrism, your pet might feel tired and numb to their joints.

But as the plant is mildly toxic, it will not harm them on the first take. So, if you are growing sweet peas, keep an eye on your pets to make them stay away from the plant.

What Can I Do If I Accidentally Eat Sweet Pea?

Eating sweet peas once or twice will not be that much harmful to you as the plant is mildly poisonous. If you eat the wind tendrils or shoots, you will not suffer from any side effects. But if you eat the pods like other vegetable peas, that can be troublesome.

As the flowers and seeds of sweet peas are poisonous, you should not eat them recklessly. If you keep eating them thinking they are edible, it can cause lethargy or paralysis, which can be pretty deadly if it reaches your heart.

If you feel symptoms like tiredness or numbness in your body, you must consult a doctor and find out the reason. Before taking any medication, you must verify them. And most importantly, don’t eat anything that looks like peas because they can be dangerous too.

What Colour Does Sweet Pea Come In?

Sweet pea has one of the broadest color ranges in the plant kingdom. You will find sweet peas in blue, red, pink and purple hues. There are also some rare shades of blue and magenta in sweet peas.

The white-colored sweet peas like “royal wedding,” “white supreme”, or “cream southbourne” usually have a strong sweet scent.

Sweet peas with dark blue and purple hues are the most common. You will find multiple color shades and patterns in these flowers. Some of the most popular are “cupani”,’ “blue celesta”, “electric blue” and “lynn davey”.

There are also some rare combinations, such as the “queen of Hearts”, which is a flower made with Red, cream, magenta and burgundy combination or the “cheri Amour”, with pink, rose, and lavender combination.

Final Thoughts

Sweet pea is a versatile plant that will decorate your house and your mind. You might feel curious about many questions, such as “is sweet pea edible?” Now, as you have found out the answers, you can make the best use of these. Knowing the answer will not only satisfy your curious mind but also helps to make safe decisions about how to use this plant.

In this wind plant kingdom, sweet pea is one of the leading plants. So, when you are determining which plant will make your garden more beautiful and valuable, you cannot just ignore sweet pea. Learn and understand them and make your gardening experience more colorful.