# Is this pea edible?



## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

I was walking through the woods today and saw this plant. I was just about to cut it down as it was growing up in the middle of an old trail, and then I noticed it had peas on it. When I was little I grew a bean vine that grew like crazy but it was apparently not one you'd want to eat. I was wondering if peas are the same. Is this one that should not be eaten? It's growing wild, this land has probably never been farmed, at least not in the last 50 years so I'm not sure how it started growing. Any thoughts?


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

Not sure but i would transplant it off the path as it is a nitrogen fixer and food for wildlife


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Interesting. There was a second one growing right next to it. I'm glad I didn't knock it over. I know so little about trees/plants so I'm always hesitant to cut anything. Except the plethora of max myrtle and gum trees growing all over. Once we get our well I plan to start planting and transplanting more


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

That's a locust tree seed pod and not a pea. we have them here and those pods are blown near and far. I find them more than a hundred feet from the tree.


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

we have tons of locust around here to but i have never seen young ones with pods! beautiful trees!

Be sure you know before trying!

The fruit of the *honey locust* is a flat legume (pod) that matures in early autumn. The pods are generally between 15–20 cm (6–8 in). The pulp on the insides of the pods is *edible*, unlike the black *locust*, which is toxic.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Wow, never would have thought locust tree (not sure i've ever heard of one), thanks. Glad I didn't try to eat any. From an initial look up on wikipedia, the only locust tree that grows around here is the water locust but it says that one typically only has one seed per pod. I'm pretty sure this one has at least two per pod. 

This one is less than a year old.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

It is not a honey locust. I think it is black locust and has beatiful white flowers in the spring. There are a lot up on the mountain about 2000 feet from the house and they look beautiful in the spring. Look nearby and you should find more.
Seed pod is 3 to 4 inches long and has about 5 seeds per pod.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Locust tree


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> _*Robinia pseudoacacia*_, commonly known in its native territory as *black locust*,[1] is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States, but it has been widely planted and naturalized elsewhere in temperate North America, Europe, Southern Africa[2] and Asia and is considered an invasive species in some areas.[3]
> 
> Another common name is *false acacia*,[4] a literal translation of thespecific name (_pseudo_ meaning fake or false and _acacia_ referring to the genus of plants with the same name.) It was introduced into Britain in 1636.[5]


It will also have thorns when it's bigger and can quickly take over an area.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Bearfootfarm said:


> It will also have thorns when it's bigger and can quickly take over an area.
> 
> View attachment 62054


And cause you to invest in tire sealer for your mowers.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

I look forward to the flowers, not so much the thorns. I should have expected it though, the property is already covered in gum trees. Why not thorns too


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

It's not a locust, looks more like a young coffee bean tree. http://www.namethatplant.net/plantdetail.shtml?plant=625

Look around especially up, they grow straight and tall when among other trees, make a nice shade tree in the open. There is more there that is a female tree, obviously, so there is a male tree some where.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

It does look similar and I wish it were a coffee tree, that'd be pretty cool. But the leaves on coffee trees come to a point at the end where these are rounded. That link had a link to compare to other similar trees and locust is one of them...http://www.namethatplant.net/galler...tely or tripinnately compound leaves of trees which i think has leaves more similar to what i have.


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