What Is The Difference Between Peas And Beans?

Peas and beans are both members of the species of legumes. The word bean is the common name used to refer to several herbs belonging to the legume family, of which the pea is also a member. The pods and seeds of the bean herb are edible.

Bean is also a word that is often loosely used to refer to the pods or seeds of other plants and trees such as tamarind and coffee. It is also used (without qualification) to describe the different varieties of Phaseolus by American horticulturists.

Pea is a term used only to refer to the genus Pisum. Pisum is the genus to which true peas belong. True peas are close relatives of the southern peas. Southern peas are a very popular variety of peas.

Both the varieties of peas, namely true peas and Southern peas belong to the legume family (Family Leguminosae). Southern peas are actually a variety of beans. They are scientifically known as Vigna sinensis. Peas have tendrils, while beans do not have tendrils. The growth patterns of the pea and bean vines are also different from each other. While the cotyledons present on the beans come from the soil, they do not emerge from the soil in case of peas. Cotyledons are structures where the seed food is stored.