Lotus tetragonolobus - Asparagus Pea

Lotus tetragonolobus, also known as asparagus pea, is a forgotten species that is closely related to peas and beans. It produces curious pods with four sides. Despite being little known, it is an old vegetable that was once harvested in the wild before being cultivated. It bears ornamental red flowers. Sow the seeds from March to May under shelter and from late May to June in beds. Harvest from July to the first frost.

This curious vegetable plant is native to Southern Europe and belongs to the large Fabaceae family. It develops a rosette of creeping stems. It bears beautiful red flowers, followed by the formation of curious pods with scalloped wings.

The pods are consumed whole when they are young and tender (2 to 3cm (1in) long) and are prepared like asparagus. When harvested at a more advanced stage (4 to 5cm (2in)), they should be shelled. The peas can then be cooked like garden peas.

It is grown in the same way as peas. It thrives in sunny, moist, well-drained and humus-bearing soil.

Harvest: it should be harvested regularly, approximately twice a week, until the first frost.

Storage: it can be stored for a few days in the vegetable compartment of a refrigerator. It can also be frozen after blanching in boiling water.

Gardener's tip: like all Fabaceae, it can fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, similar to green manure. This nitrogen supply benefits both nearby plants and those that will be planted subsequently in a crop rotation system.