What is "snap pea"

n. variety of pea plant producing peas having crisp rounded edible pods [syn: sugar snap pea]

Snap peas (Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon), also known as sugar snap peas, are a cultivar group of edible-podded peas that differ from snow peas in that their pods are round as opposed to flat. The name mangetout ( French for "eat all") can apply both to snap peas and snow peas. Commonly thought to be from China, snow peas originated in the Mediterranean, and were grown widely in England and Europe in the nineteenth century. The Chinese adopted these peas into their own cuisine from the English, and they have been known as Chinese snow peas ever since.

While snap peas had been grown in Europe in the 19th century, sugarsnap peas were developed by crossing Chinese snow peas with a mutant shell pea plant. Researchers hoped that the cross might counteract twisting and buckling seen in varieties at the time. With this cross, Dr Calvin Lamborn and Dr M.C. Parker of Twin Falls, Idaho, had developed a new class of snow pea.

Snap peas, like all other peas, are pod fruits. An edible-podded pea is similar to a garden, or English, pea, but the pod is less fibrous, and edible when young. Pods of the edible-podded pea, including snap peas, do not have a membrane and do not open when ripe. At maturity, the pods grow to around 4–8 cm in length, Pods contain three to eight peas per pod. The plants are climbing, and pea sticks or a trellis or other support system is required for optimal growth. Some cultivars are capable of climbing to 2 m high but are more commonly around 1-1.3 m for ease of harvest.