Lathyrus Pods 'Bunte Aus Karlsruhe'

After their blue-white to sky-blue flowering, these Lathyrus pods yield an interesting harvest of rather thick, speckled and marbled "peas". This is a prolific variety that climbs to about 100-150 cm. Of course, the flowers and fresh pods are also edible. In Italy, this legume is called Cicerchia marchigiana and has been eaten from the wild for centuries! As an ornamental plant with its charming butterfly-like flowers, this Lathyrus is by no means out of place. It reaches a height of 60 cm; give them a moist and sunny spot. The small, unripe pods are wonderfully tender! Around the Mediterranean, the ripe seeds are eaten as (dried) peas: a nutritious delicacy! However, do not put them on the menu more than once a week and cook them for at least 30 minutes: an excess of certain amino acids in the seed is harmful. In times of scarcity, people would contract "Lathyrism," a nervous disorder. Don't be alarmed; around the Mediterranean, but also in Asia, this vegetable is eaten very regularly! Finally: as a fertilizing plant, this Lathyrus is even more effective than clover due to its rapid nitrogen fixation!

Names:
Latin: Lathyrus sativus
Dutch: Lathyruspeultjes
Also known as: Cicerchia marchigiana
English: Chickling Pea, Chickling Vetch