Best time to plant cowpea in Australia
Vigna unguiculata
Also called black-eyed pea, black-eyed bean, southern pea
An annual legume, the cowpea can stand upright, trail or climb, and plants vary greatly in size and shape. First farmed in Africa, it ranks among the oldest farmed crops. The cooked seeds are the main food, best known as black-eyed peas, and young pods and leaves are eaten as well.
On a shared plot: suits a plot
Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Oct to Jan | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Temperate | Sep to Feb | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Subtropical | Aug to Apr | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Tropical | Feb to Oct | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Arid | Sep to Feb | Not yet checked against a local guide |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Sow directly in the bed
- Sowing depth
- 20-30mm
- Plant spacing
- 15-20cm
- Row spacing
- 50cm
- Height
- 90cm
- Germination
- 7-14 days at 18-25°C
- Time to harvest
- 70-80 days
- Frost
- Frost tender
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- annual
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.