Green Arrow Pea (Shelling)

Pisum sativum

Seeds per pack ~ 50 approx

Germination: 90% Packed for 2025

Origins and History
The Green Arrow Shelling Pea, also known as “Green Shaft,” is a classic English heirloom variety that originated in the United Kingdom during the mid-20th century. It was bred for uniformity, disease resistance, and high yields, becoming a favorite among British gardeners and later spreading widely to North America. The variety reflects centuries of European pea cultivation, which began with domesticated Pisum sativum grown along the Mediterranean and Near Eastern regions thousands of years ago. Green Arrow’s consistent productivity and excellent flavor helped it become a staple for both home and market gardeners by the 1950s.

Appearance and Characteristics
This shelling pea variety is known for its tall, vigorous vines that reach about 24–30 inches in height and often benefit from light trellising. Each slender pod grows to about 4–5 inches long and typically contains 8–11 tender, bright-green peas. The plants produce double pods at each node, maximizing yield. Green Arrow is prized for its sweet, rich flavor and tender texture, even when the peas reach full maturity. It is also noted for resistance to common pea diseases such as fusarium wilt and powdery mildew.

Culinary Uses
Green Arrow Shelling Peas are a versatile kitchen favorite, excellent for fresh shelling, freezing, or canning. Their sweetness and firm texture make them ideal for soups, stews, casseroles, stir-fries, and classic sides like buttered peas with mint. Because of their uniform size and bright color, they maintain a beautiful presentation when cooked or preserved. The peas can also be blanched and frozen for long-term storage without losing flavor or texture.

Growing Tips
This cool-season crop performs best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3–11, thriving in temperatures between 55–70°F. Sow directly in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring, or in late summer for a fall crop in cooler regions. Seeds should be planted 1 to 1.5 inches deep and spaced about 2 inches apart in rows 18–24 inches apart. Green Arrow prefers full sun and well-drained, loamy soil rich in organic matter. Avoid planting in the same location each year to reduce disease buildup. Regular watering during flowering and pod development helps ensure plump, sweet peas.

Harvesting Guidance
Green Arrow peas reach maturity in about 65–70 days after sowing. Harvest the pods when they are full and firm but still tender—before the peas inside become starchy. Picking frequently encourages continued production. For shelling, snap off pods carefully to avoid damaging vines. Freshly picked peas should be used or preserved quickly, as their sugars begin converting to starch soon after harvest, diminishing their signature sweetness.

Pisum sativum – Botanical Origins and History of Domestication

Pisum sativum, commonly known as the garden pea, is one of the earliest domesticated leguminous crops and holds a distinguished place in agricultural history. Its botanical origins trace to the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East, particularly regions encompassing modern-day Turkey, Syria, Israel, and northwestern Iran. Archaeobotanical evidence indicates that wild pea relatives (Pisum sativum subsp. elatius) were gathered by Neolithic peoples as early as 9,000–10,000 years ago. These wild forms thrived in temperate climates with cool growing seasons, well-adapted to rocky hillsides and open woodlands.

History of Domestication
The domestication of Pisum sativum likely began around 8,000 BCE during the Neolithic agricultural revolution in the Fertile Crescent. Early farmers selected plants with non-shattering pods and larger seeds—traits that enhanced both harvestability and yield. Over time, these selections led to true cultivated peas (P. sativum subsp. sativum), distinct from their wild progenitors. Peas became a foundational component of early cereal–pulse agricultural systems alongside wheat, barley, and lentils, contributing valuable plant-based protein and nitrogen-fixing benefits to soils.

Spread and Diversification
From its Near Eastern cradle, Pisum sativum spread westward into Europe and northward into Central Asia. By the Bronze Age, peas were well established throughout the Mediterranean Basin and Europe, evidenced by remains in ancient Egyptian tombs and Greek and Roman records describing their cultivation and culinary use. During the Middle Ages, peas became a dietary staple across Europe, evolving from dried field peas used for soups and porridges to tender green varieties prized as fresh vegetables by the Renaissance. Exploration and trade further disseminated pea varieties to Africa, India, and eventually the Americas by the 16th and 17th centuries.

Through centuries of farmer selection and regional adaptation, Pisum sativum diversified into multiple ecotypes and cultivars—ranging from field peas for dry use to garden peas for fresh eating, as well as sugar snap and snow peas with edible pods. This remarkable diversity now forms the genetic foundation of both traditional and modern pea breeding programs, continuing a legacy that bridges ancient agriculture with contemporary sustainable food systems.