FAST LADY COWPEA

Vigna unguiculata

This elegant cowpea is one of the few that produce well in cool northern gardens. Selected by Carol Deppe in Oregon, the plants are sturdy and compact and hold long pods well above the foliage. Tiny white beans may be shelled fresh in as little as 70 days.

An unexpectedly lovely plant, the flowers of this particular selection are a pretty pale yellow. Extrafloral nectaries attract diverse beneficial insects. Mature dried pods can be harvested in about 90 days. Where seasons are long, two flushes of pods can be expected, allowing harvests of both fresh and dried pods almost simultaneously. The creamy white beans cook easily and make an especially beautiful salad.

Sow these seeds into warm garden soil in full sun long after all danger of frost has passed. Thin to at least 6" apart and water frequently just until plants are well-rooted. Once established, cowpeas prefer to grow in dry conditions, and are very susceptible to disease in damp environments. This selection is adapted to organic cultivation and should prove adaptable to most gardens.

Packet contains at least 50 seeds.