How to grow Cowpeas (Southern Peas) in Australia
Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), also called southern peas and black-eyed peas, are a heat-loving legume that keeps cropping through summer weather that stops ordinary beans. Young pods are eaten like green beans, fresh seeds are shelled like peas, and dried seeds keep for months. They are drought tolerant, grow in poor soil and add nitrogen to it. Snake beans are the same species.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Cowpeas (Southern Peas) in Australia
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | September to March | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to March | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | October to January | Sow Oct to Jan into warm soil. Same species as snake beans and just as fond of heat; frost tender. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | October to December | Frost tender and heat loving. Sow Oct to Dec once the soil is warm; best in the hottest part of summer. |
| Adelaide & SA | November and December | Sow Nov to Dec once soil passes 20C. Cowpeas set pods through heat that stops ordinary beans. |
| Perth & WA | October to January | Sow Oct to Jan once soil passes 20C. Like snake beans, cowpeas keep podding through the summer heat. |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Unsuitable. A heat loving bean that needs hot nights, like snake beans. Grow scarlet runners instead. |
| Canberra & ACT | November to January | Frost tender. Sow Nov to Jan into warm soil after the last frost in early November. Later sowings will not crop before the April frosts. |
| North Queensland | September to March | |
| Darwin & Top End | September to March |
Not to be confused with: Snake beans (yard-long beans), which are a form of the same species grown for their very long pods, and common green beans, a different plant.
Where to plant
Grow cowpeas in full sun in well-drained soil. They grow best at about 20 to 35°C and cope with poor, sandy and heavy clay soils, but not frost, waterlogging or flooding. They are a good crop for hot, dry spots where little else will grow.
Being legumes, they need no nitrogen fertiliser and leave nitrogen in the soil for the next crop.
- Sydney and Perth: sow from October to January once the soil passes about 20°C.
- Adelaide: sow in November and December into warm soil; cowpeas set pods through heat that stops ordinary beans.
- Melbourne and Canberra: sow from October or November to December or January after frost; they do best in the hottest part of summer.
- Hobart: not suitable; summers are too cool. Grow scarlet runner beans instead.
- South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers, North Queensland and Darwin: sow from spring right through summer into autumn.
Choosing a variety
- Black-eyed pea has creamy white seeds with a black eye, used fresh or dried.
- Red Caloona is a red-seeded variety.
- Bush types stay compact; climbing or trailing types need a support or room to spread.
How to plant
- Wait until the soil is warm, above about 20°C; seed rots in cold, wet soil.
- Sow seed directly about 3 cm deep and 15 to 20 cm apart, in rows about 60 cm apart.
- Water once after sowing, then only if the soil dries out before seedlings appear.
- Give climbing types a trellis or let them scramble over the ground.
Watering and feeding
Water young plants until they are established, then ease off; cowpeas are very drought tolerant. Water in long dry spells during flowering and podding for a better crop. Do not feed with nitrogen, which gives leaves at the expense of pods.
Pruning and care through the year
- Keep weeds down while plants are young.
- Check flowers and pods for webbing and caterpillars from bean podborer in warm, humid coastal areas.
- At the end of the crop, cut plants off at ground level and leave the roots in the soil.
Harvesting
Pick young, tender pods to cook like green beans, about 8 to 10 weeks after sowing. For fresh seeds, pick pods when they are plump and the seeds are full but still soft. For dry seed, leave pods on the plant until they are dry and papery, then shell them.
Dry the shelled seeds further indoors and store them in an airtight jar. Cook dried cowpeas thoroughly before eating.
Growing in pots
Bush cowpeas grow in a pot at least 30 cm wide and deep with a free-draining mix. Keep the pot in full sun and water when the top of the mix dries.
Using it
- Cook young pods like green beans, in stir-fries and curries.
- Cook fresh or dried black-eyed peas in soups, stews, salads and rice dishes.
- Young leaves are cooked as a green in parts of Africa and Asia.
Saving seed
Leave pods on healthy plants until they are dry, then shell and dry the seeds and store them in a cool, dry place. Cowpeas are mostly self-pollinating, so open-pollinated varieties usually come true.
Companion planting
Cowpeas suit a hot summer bed alongside other heat lovers, and are often grown with tall grain crops that they can climb.
Good companions
- Corn A tall summer crop that climbing cowpeas can use as a support.
- Sorghum Another tall, heat-loving summer grain that cowpeas are traditionally grown among.
- Cucumber A summer crop for the same warm season.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to cowpeas (southern peas).
Pests and diseases
Bean podborer is the main pest in warm coastal areas. Aphids and mildew are minor problems.
Pests to watch for
- Pod borer Flowers and pods webbed together with droppings, and caterpillars boring into pods to eat the seeds. Remove affected flowers and pods.
- Aphids Dense colonies of black aphids on shoot tips, flowers and young pods.
Diseases to watch for
- Powdery mildew White, powdery patches on leaves, mostly late in the season.
Common questions
Are cowpeas the same as black-eyed peas?
Yes. Black-eyed peas are a type of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Snake beans are the same species too, grown for their long pods.
Can you eat cowpea pods?
Yes. Young, tender pods are cooked like green beans. As they mature, shell the fresh seeds, or let the pods dry for dried peas.
When should I plant cowpeas?
When the soil is warm, above about 20°C, from late spring through summer. They are frost tender and need heat. Pick your region at the top of the page for the months.
Do cowpeas need fertiliser?
Very little. As legumes they make their own nitrogen and grow in poor soil. Nitrogen fertiliser gives leaves instead of pods.
Are cowpeas drought tolerant?
Very. Once established they cope with heat and dry spells that stop ordinary beans, though water during flowering improves the crop.
What are the caterpillars in my cowpea flowers?
Usually bean podborer, which webs flowers and pods together and bores into the pods. It is worst in warm, humid coastal areas. Remove affected flowers and pods.
Sources we checked: Business Queensland: Bean podborer; Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds: Bean pod borer; NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Vigna unguiculata; SANBI PlantZAfrica: Vigna unguiculata.