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Cowpea Wikimedia Commons
Fabaceae

Cowpea

Vigna unguiculata

Sustenance and prosperity.

Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Vigna
Native to
West Africa
Bloom season
Summer
Type
Annual
Height
20-80 cm
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Well-drained, sandy to loamy
Water
Low to moderate
Hardiness
8-12
Lifespan
Annual

Did you know

  • Cowpeas have been cultivated in Africa for over 5,000 years and are a staple food crop.
  • Eating black-eyed peas (a cowpea variety) on New Year's Day is a Southern US tradition for good luck.
  • The plant is extremely drought-tolerant, making it vital for food security in arid regions.
  • Cowpeas fix atmospheric nitrogen, improving soil fertility for subsequent crops.
  • Every part of the plant is useful: seeds for food, leaves as vegetables, and vines as animal fodder.

Color meanings

0

Nourishment

1

Good luck

2

Humility

Uses

  • Food crop
  • Cover crop
  • Animal fodder
  • Soil improvement