Pinkeye Purplehull Cowpea

Pinkeye Purplehull produces cream-colored cowpeas with pink or purple eyes.

Purplehull pods and pink-eyed peas

Pinkeye Purplehull produces cream-colored cowpeas with pink or purple eyes. The shelling pods mature in bunches and turn deep purple-green when the peas are ready at green-shell stage. The plants are bushy, which makes this a useful choice for a concentrated patch rather than long, sprawling vines. Expect about 85 days to maturity. Use the fresh peas soon after shelling, or dry them for pantry storage.

Give the plants a warm bed

Cowpeas are warm-season vegetables. Sow after cold weather has passed, in a sunny spot with soil that drains. Place seed about 1 inch deep. Sow two seeds every 3 inches, then thin to one plant at each spot once seedlings have four leaves. Space rows 36 inches apart. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until seedlings emerge, then water during flowering and pod formation if rain is scarce.

Check the shelling stage

As pods fill, inspect a few before picking the row. At green-shell stage, peas should be formed inside while the pod still has its deep purple-green color. The bunching habit can make harvest quick, but pods on the same plant may not all reach the stage together. Pick the ready clusters and leave the rest to fill. A bowl or shallow tray makes it easier to sort pods and keep the harvest from being crushed while you work.

Prepare shelling peas

Shell pods soon after picking. Cook the peas fresh, or dry them for pantry storage; canning requires a tested pressure-canning process for dried beans and peas. Do not use a water-bath method for low-acid legumes. The 85-day figure is a planning estimate because soil warmth and weather affect development. Once pods begin to mature, return to the plants often. Leaving ripe pods in place can delay the next flush of flowers and pods. The cream-colored peas with their pink or purple eyes are easy to spot as you shell. For a weeknight side, simmer them until tender with onion and a little salt, then finish with herbs. If drying, spread pods or shelled peas in a clean, well-ventilated place and make sure the crop is fully dry before storage. Keep dried legumes in a sealed container away from heat and moisture.