How do pea pods disperse their seeds?

Pea pods are a fruit type unique to plants in the Fabaceae family, and many legumes have pods, such as soybeans and peas, so how do pea pods disperse their seeds?

1. Basic introduction to pea pods

A pea pod is a fruit developed from a single carpel, and after ripening, the pericarp splits open along both the dorsal suture and the ventral suture, such as in soybeans, peas, and broad beans. Some have a pod form but do not split open, such as peanuts, silk trees, and Chinese honey locust; some pods are spiral-shaped with prickly hairs on the outside, such as the fruit of alfalfa, or are cylindrical and segmented, like a rosary, such as the fruit of pagoda tree.

2. How do pea pods disperse their seeds?

Pea pods disperse their seeds in two ways:

The first is ballistic dispersal. After the pod ripens, it bursts open and flings the seeds outward, and once the seeds land on the ground they can germinate and grow;

The second is dispersal by some birds. After birds eat the seeds inside the pod, they cannot fully digest them, and the seeds are excreted along with the droppings, and after landing on the ground they can also continue to grow.

3. How can pea pods be cooked to taste better?

1. Stir-fried pea pods with meat

Wash the pea pods and drain off the water, set them aside for later use, then prepare a piece of lean meat and slice it for later use. Heat the wok and add oil, and when the oil is 70% hot, pour in the lean meat and stir-fry. When it is 60% cooked, add the pea pods and continue stir-frying. When nearly cooked, add an appropriate amount of salt, light soy sauce, cooking wine, oyster sauce, and other seasonings, and once cooked it is ready to serve.

2. Stir-fried pea pods with onion

Prepare an appropriate amount of red-skinned onion and pea pods, then shred the onion; the peas may be cut or left whole. Heat the wok and add oil, and when the oil is slightly hot, add the onion. After stir-frying the onion until fragrant, add the pea pods, stir-fry for a few minutes, then add salt, and stir-fry for a few more minutes before taking it out of the pan.