Winter Pea

Winter pea or Austrian winter pea produces a viney stem that will extend from 2 – 4 ft in length and produce white, yellow, or purple flowers. Winter peas are not well-suited for pastures, as their stems are often damaged by treading. However, winter peas are frequently seeded with rye, wheat, or oats for silage production. Winter peas should not be planted north of the lower Piedmont region because they are not cold hardy. Diseases can also substantially reduce yields.

Two varieties that have worked well in FL (not trialed in GA) have been 'Whistler' and 'Maple."

Dr. Dennis Hancock
Forage Extension Specialist
Crop & Soil Sciences Dept.