Wando

[galina]

I got Wando peas in a 'Seedy Saturday' type of exchange (donor unknown) and grew them for the first time this year. The peas inside the packet were about half yellow and half dull green, both about the same size. This did not surprise me, because some other peas (for example Magnum Bonum) have both colours too.

However, the yellow type grew fairly short plants, the green type grew to about 4 foot tall and had bigger pods too. The seeds I have just harvested also point to two different cultivars. My own yellow seeds come from the shorter plants with the smaller pods and they are smaller than my dull green ones.

Does anybody know please which colour the 'real' Wando pea seed is meant to be? I expect that one type in the packet is likely to be Wando.

[grunt]

Petra: From Victory seeds
"Wando
70 days — Although it is resistant to the effects of heat and therefore used for late sowings, it also pollinates well under cooler conditions. The plant is sturdy, grows up to thirty inches, is high yielding and produces seven or more seeds per pod.

Bred at the Southeastern Vegetable Breeding Laboratory ('Laxton's Progress' x 'Perfection'), it was released in 1943. A good variety for freezing, home and market gardens."

[galina]

Thank you Grunt. The taller of the two with the green seeds certainly has similarity with another of Laxton's peas, the Laxton Exquisite, although it is faring much better in the heat than 'Exquisite'. And the other type with the yellow seeds is much smaller than 'up to 30 inches'.

Short of confirmation of seed colour, it looks likely that Wando might be the taller variety with the green seeds.

I shan't offer seeds with this uncertainty over the cultivar, but will grow both of them for food.