🫛 Cowpeas / Black-eyed Peas
Vigna unguiculata
vegetables
annual legume (bush or vining)
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
low to moderate, very drought-tolerant
🗺️ Zones
warm season annual, frost, tender
🧪 Soil pH
5.5-7.0
🪴 Soil Type
well-draining, tolerant of poor sandy soils
🚿 Drainage
Well-drained
📏 Spacing
3-4 in. apart, 24-36 in. between rows (bush); 6-8 in. for vining on trellis
⏱️ Maturity
60-90 days (from seed); bush varieties 60-70 days, vining 80-90 days
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Fresh shelling peas, dried beans, Southern peas, hoppin' john
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (7)
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
Growth inhibition or competition
⚠️ alliums (onion, garlic, leeks)
Growth inhibition or competition
📝 Growing Notes
Heat and drought-tolerant nitrogen fixer. Excellent green manure and cover crop. Corn/sorghum provides support. Traditional intercrop with sorghum in Africa and southern US. Suppresses weeds when densely planted.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
Plot Buddies is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our plant recommendations. We only link to retailers we trust.