Early Alaska Pea

Alaska is an heirloom variety of pea that produces early yields of sweet, tender peas on compact, 24-inch-tall plants.  Dating back to 1881 and originally known as "Earliest of All", Alaska was bred as an early-maturing shelling pea for canning and, as technology progressed, freezing.  It is among the earliest of all peas, maturing in just 55 days to yield two to three-inch pods containing five to seven peas each.  The enclosed peas are very sweet when young, becoming starchier as they approach maturity.  Gardeners should take note of this and plan accordingly: Harvest early for fresh eating or freezing, later for canning, and at full maturity for dried or 'marrowfat' peas.  Alaska matures approximately 55 days after sowing.  Each packet contains a minimum of 50 seeds.