|
The Snap pea (Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon) belongs to Fabaceae (the Pea family). It is an annual or a biennial herb. In 1979, Dr. Calvin Lamborn and Dr. MC Parker, pea breeders in Twin Falls, Idaho in the United States, released a new variety of snap pea called "Sugar Snap". This variety is a hybrid of a snow pea and a mutant shell pea. "Sugar Snap" is a climbing plant that can grow over 1.8 m tall, but in 1984, a dwarf variety "Sugar Ann" with a height of 60 cm was developed.
The pods remain tender enough to be eaten whole when ripe, offering the sweetness of "shell pea" and the crisp texture of "snow peas" in a single bite. Due to its texture resembling that of a snack, it is also affectionately known as "snack peas". In 1983, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries officially standardized the name as "snap peas".
"Sugar Snap" is an open-pollinated variety, so during the seed collection process, adverse weather conditions may cause mutant strain (reversion to the original form) to occur. In this case, the pods will become flat and hard.
|