Pisum sativum plants are edible, whether they are palatable to you is a matter of taste. Most of the folks who eat them use snow peas. Primarily in Chinese dishes.

Linked below is a thread on the Asian Vegetables forum about pea shoots. There are several others. When you search for info on this topic, try using the phrase "pea shoots". That will give you the most appropriate hits.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Pea Shoots

Here's a recipe. They are a Chinese delicacy and normally are prepared in a simple way such as this.

I've never grown or cooked them. I have eaten them in a Chinese restaurant and they were good.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Pea Shoot Recipe

Thanks for the info. I will have to try eating some shoots soon. I have planted my cold frame and they are up, and just seeded some more peas in a couple of rows. I also think I'll try growing them in late July again too for a fall crop. I'm interested to see how the seeds supposedly for shoots are different from the other peas. Avalanche snow peas are new for me this year too and they are sprouting vigorously and with more tendrils than the other peas.

The idea of eating the wayward vines that flop over and break if you try to pull them up is interesting.

Nancy

I enjoy pea shoots, but (usually) don't plant peas for that purpose. When I grow soup peas, there are always some seeds that get knocked to the ground during thunderstorms, and can't be saved. Many of these "volunteers" will germinate in the Fall. The young shoots usually survive the first frost, and are a welcome "salad" when not much else is still growing. The first 2-3" or so is tender; depending upon the variety, I may eat them raw, or use them in stir fry. Just as with snap beans, some varieties are sweet & tender eaten raw, some are not.

There were years (in warmer climes) when I planted peas as part of a mixed Winter cover crop, along with oats/barley and vetch/favas. These peas were seldom able to pod before they were turned under, but I would harvest a lot of shoots before the cover crop was mowed.