Tepehuan Chicharos is a frost-tolerant pea variety (Pisum sativum) from the high-elevation Sierra Madre of southern Chihuahua, Mexico, where it has been traditionally grown as a dried soup pea for generations. The plants can reach impressive heights, growing to 7 feet tall under generous moisture, and produce tan-colored seeds that taste remarkably sweet when picked young and fresh. Hardy in zones 3 through 10, this variety thrives in cool-season gardens and rewards patient growers with pods containing young peas that are, as seed savers describe them, sweet as the dickens.
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3-10
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Moderate
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This Mexican heirloom brings authentic mountain-grown character to your garden, originating from 6,900 feet elevation in the Sierra Madre. Young peas offer an unusually sweet flavor for a soup pea, though the pods themselves are fibrous and best used dried for traditional cooking. Recent growing trials in Tucson proved the variety's adaptability, with plants reaching dramatic heights when conditions favor generous growth.
Traditionally dried and used in soups, Tepehuan Chicharos delivers the hearty, protein-rich quality expected of soup peas. Young pods can be eaten fresh before the peas fully mature inside, offering a sweet, delicate flavor quite different from the dried grain use. Home gardeners appreciate the flexibility of harvesting some pods young for fresh eating while allowing others to mature and dry for winter cooking.
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Sow seeds directly in the garden in early spring or fall, timing plantings to avoid the hottest part of summer. The variety germinates between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, making cool-season planting windows ideal.
For fresh eating, pick pods before the peas fully fill out inside, when they are still tender and young; at this stage, the peas deliver their characteristic sweetness. For dried soup peas, allow pods to mature fully on the plant, dry completely, and then shell and store the tan-colored seeds. Timing varies by temperature and moisture; check plants regularly once flowering begins.
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“Tepehuan Chicharos originates from the high elevations of the Sierra Madre in southern Chihuahua, Mexico, where indigenous and traditional farming communities developed and maintained this variety over generations. The name reflects its roots in Tepehuan culture and agricultural practices. Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit seed organization dedicated to preserving crops adapted to the southwestern United States and Mexico, maintains this variety as part of their Seed Bank Collection, safeguarding a living link to regional food traditions and ensuring gardeners can access seeds selected for performance in arid and semi-arid climates.”