Vigna unguiculata
 
Discovered some 30 years ago in the open market at Palapye, Botswana, this is hands down one of the finest culinary cowpeas in our Collection. It is good to eat as a string bean in the young unripe pod, the green seeds are excellent as “peas,” and the mature white seeds are about as buttery as cowpeas can get. Not only that, but the plant itself is highly ornamental so it is perfect for anyone into edible landscaping.
 
This is one of those cowpeas that likes to twine and climb like a pole bean, so it is showy as a trellis specimen, especially since it produces a profusion of white flowers (not yellow like most cowpeas) followed by 7 ½ inch pods with 14 seeds each that ripen bright lemon yellow.  The vines are so picture perfect that you hate to ruin them by harvesting the seeds! This is a cowpea that will work for folks on the warmer side of Zone 6. Zone 7 and South is your safest bet. Best of all, this cowpea is pest free, aside from deer, but you can always cook them once you catch them in the act. Need a recipe for Blackeye Peas and Venison?  We will gladly work on it.
 
~25 seeds per packet.