Most gardeners know them, the vetchling peas, which like to climb up fences and, in quite a few cases, can even grow rampant. The buds are pleasing to the eye and the pods follow shortly after their flowering stage. Are the parts of the plant edible or do they contain toxins?

The flowers of the vetchling are also edible

This papilionaceous plant is edible

The vetchling belongs to the legume family. Around 160 species are known of it. These are distributed worldwide and especially in the northern hemisphere. Whether with white, pink or purple flowers - vetchling are edible.

What do vetchling taste like and which parts of the plant are edible?

The flowers are edible, as are the young shoots, flower buds and legumes. While the flowers taste slightly sweet, the young shoots and flower buds are very juicy. Overall, the taste of the vetchling is vaguely reminiscent of young peas.

The young shoots can be harvested between May and June. The leaves, flower buds and flowers are ready for harvest from June to August. You can pick the pods between July and August. The pods are up to 4 cm long and contain 2 to 5 angular seeds.

The well-known seed vetchling - not just animal feed

  • an old cultivated plant
  • still used today as food in Spain, Italy and parts of Africa and Asia
  • among others as flour for bread
  • used as animal feed (high in protein)
  • also as a vegetable and for soups
  • both the mature and immature seeds are needed

Caution: The dose makes the poison!

It has been known since the 17th century that the seeds of some species of vetchling are poisonous in large quantities. Behind this is the alkaloid called lathyrine. Therefore, vetch peas should not be on your daily menu in large quantities. Too high a dose leads to, among other things:

  • Vomit
  • sweats
  • paralysis
  • shortness of breath
  • dizziness
  • cramps
  • limb tremors

There they are!

Sweet peas like to grow in gardens. They love to climb up fences. But you can also find them in meadows, pastures, fields and in sparse forests. Basically, they prefer sunny locations. They also do well in semi-shade.

tips

Like peas, vetch peas are very rich in protein. They contain around 25% protein. This makes them a source of protein that should not be underestimated.

Category:

Vegetable garden