Knight Pea (Shelling)
Pisum sativum
Seeds per pack ~ 50 approx
Germination: 85% Packed for 2026
Origins and History
The Knight Shelling Pea is an heirloom garden pea that traces its lineage to traditional European and early American kitchen gardens, where shelling peas were a staple of spring and early summer harvests. Known for reliability and high yields, the “Knight” variety was selected for its uniform pods and excellent disease resistance. Like many classic Pisum sativum varieties, it reflects centuries of selection by farmers and home gardeners seeking sweet, tender peas for both fresh eating and preservation.
Appearance and Characteristics
Knight Shelling Pea plants are vigorous and semi-dwarf, typically reaching 24 to 30 inches in height. The vines bear an abundance of straight, medium-green pods, each containing 7 to 9 smooth, plump peas. The plants have sturdy stems and strong tendrils that support them well, making them suitable for light trellising or netting. Their vibrant blossoms—usually white—appear in clusters before maturing into pods prized for their uniformity and shelling ease.
Culinary Uses
The peas are exceptionally sweet when freshly shelled, with a delicate flavor ideal for steaming, buttered peas, soups, and mixed vegetable dishes. They also freeze well, maintaining their sweetness and texture, making them a favorite among home gardeners who preserve their harvest. When slightly more mature, the peas retain a nutty undertone that enhances chowders, purees, and savory pies.
Growing Tips
Knight Shelling Peas thrive in cool weather and are best planted early in spring as soon as the soil can be worked. They prefer full sun and well-drained loamy soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. This variety performs well in USDA Hardiness Zones 3–7, with the potential for a second fall crop in cooler regions. Seeds should be sown 1 to 1.5 inches deep and spaced about 2 inches apart in rows 18–24 inches apart. Light support or fencing improves airflow and keeps pods clean.
Days to Maturity
Knight Shelling Peas mature in approximately 58 to 62 days after planting, making them a relatively early producer among shelling peas. Blossoms appear within 35 to 40 days, followed by rapid pod development.
Harvesting Guidance
Harvest pods when they are full and firm, but before the peas inside begin to harden. Regular picking encourages continued production. For best flavor, harvest in the cool morning hours when sugar content is highest. After picking, refrigerate immediately or shell and freeze the peas within a few hours to preserve their sweetness. Dried pods can be left on the vine for seed saving, ensuring this heirloom’s legacy continues for future plantings.
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.
