Swenson Swedish Pea
Item Details
A sweet and flavorful snowpea, this variety is a productive, vigorous climber. The pea came to Seed Savers Exchange from Charles Swenson. His grandfather brought the variety to Minnesota from Sweden in 1876. Charles says the peas are typically harvested while still flat, then cut into ¼" pieces and creamed to make a traditional Scandinavian dish.
- Conventional
- Snow pea
- Productive, vigorous climber
Growing Instructions
Instructions - Peas thrive in cool weather. Sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked in spring. Seeds will germinate in 7-14 days. Double rows of peas can be planted on each side of a trellis.
- Direct Seed: 2-3" Apart
- Seed Depth: 1/2-1"
- Rows Apart: 24"
- Support: Trellis
Ratings & Reviews
5 reviews
Shocked and surprised
by Mark
Experienced gardener but have had major struggles with peas in NTX Zone 8A. After 6 attempts I had pretty much decided to give up on them. Stumbled across these and having a Swedish American heritage my interest was piqued; figured one more attempt. Planted in February and they currently are 4 feet high, healthy, and vigorous. Great production!, I’ve gotten more than 6 previous attempts put together. I wasn’t sure how they would respond to TX climate but I will definitely be growing again in the Fall.
5 star rating from me.
by Teresa
Giving this Amazing pea a 5 star rating! (But the screen won't let me). Zone 4 Minnesota. We have had some extremely hot weather this summer of 2021 but the Swedish Swenson pea kept on producing. Need to pick almost every day. Enjoy the taste and heavy productive.
This Pea is Unstoppable
by Peter Sinanian
These snow peas have been stellar for me this year. It's my first time growing them. I grow in a high desert climate in New Mexico. We have very low humidity and daytime highs in the low 90s. Nonetheless, this pea from Sweden of all places is unstoppable. On my third flush of pods in early July with no signs of slowing down, no decrease in quality despite the summer heat. New vines continues to branch off the main stems. I will save seed and grow them again next year for sure. The yield is amazing.
still bearing in hot weather!
by Emily S
Great yield on this pea in zone 5 Iowa. We had a cold wet spring, nothing could get going, then it's 90. This pea does not care- still flowering and producing with many days over 90.
Western Washington, South Sound, zone 8b
by Crystal G.
I first planted these a few years ago and they germinated beautifully. They have light purple to white flowers and mine got over 7 feet tall. Sweet, very tender when young, and if left to plump the shelled peas are very sweet and juicy. These peas tolerated heat very well but took a long time to produce. From the time of planting to picking a handful of peas was close to 3 months so don't plan on early succsession planting but I was still harvesting tender peas in early August. They are very easy to save seeds from so I have enjoyed many years of peas from my first order in 2019.