This is the first year that I am growing the Purple Podded Snow Pea from the Hart Seed Company.  I found this seed packet at a local nursery. This snow pea is a Dutch variety that is also known as Blauwschokkers. This variety can climb up to 6 feet tall. This vining plant produces very pretty purple, pink and white flowers and purple pods.  The flowers really attract the bees! The inside of the pods and the  pea will be green.
If you want a soup pea, then let this snow pea mature and dry. Personally, I am not fond of pea soup so I am harvesting them young.
It is recommended that you harvest this variety when it is 2 inches long for a tender and sweet snow pea. When harvested at this stage, you can use them on a salad or stir fry. Also, I have read some reviews that if you let the pods get larger than 2 inches, the will get a chalky taste. Since I am not interested in that flavor, I have been harvesting them at 2 inches and using them on my salads.
This is the first year that I am growing this variety. Last year I wrote about the Oregon Sugar Pod II Snow Pea from High Mowing Organic Seeds. Here are some differences: Oregon produces white flowers and green pods, Oregon climbs up to only 3 feet tall and the pods  have a nice crisp flavor even when they gets large.
If you plant this Purple Podded Snow Pea next to green snow peas, they may produce some marbled purple and green snow peas. This is an example of cross pollination – I love plant science!
