Black-eyed Pea (Vigna unguiculata)
Whether you call them Cowpeas, Crowder Peas, Carolina Peas or Southern Peas, Black-eyed peas are a staple of Southern cuisine and were originally brought to the Southern United States by enslaved people from Africa.
Our Lowcountry black-eyed peas are a bush variety that produce incredible quantities of delicious beans that have a larger black-eye than many other varieties. We like to either eat the immature pods stir-fried or save the dried beans to make stews like Hoppin' John.
Hoppin' John is a classic southern dish that originated on plantations in the South. The dish traces back to West African culinary traditions and the Gullah people, descendants of enslaved Africans who preserved their cultural heritage in the Lowcountry regions of NC, SC and Georgia. Hoppin' John is a hearty one-pot dish that features black-eyed peas, rice and pork (usually bacon or ham hocks) and is seasoned with onions and other spices.
Our Lowcountry Black-eyed peas love the heat and full sun of summer and the plants are ready to harvest about 70 days from sowing. Since they are a bush variety, trellising isn't necessary.
Origin: The parent seed of our Lowcountry Black-eyed peas was given to us by a customer and friend who is a member of the Gullah community. She has grown this special variety for many years in her garden on James Island, South Carolina, and the variety has been in her family for many generations. She is also the source of our Geechee White Okra.
(Approximately 30 seeds per packet)
Germination Rate: 90% tested 7/22/25
Planting Instructions: Sow 1 seed 1" deep every 6" in full sun after frost in spring. Plant seeds in FULL sun. Trellsing is not necessary. 18" tall plants are ready to harvest about 70 days from sowing.
