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Project Noah Nature School
Vigna unguiculata
Growing very well in raised garden. Drought slowed production, but plants are blooming again. Greens also edible if cooked. First time growing these, will again next year.
Spotted on Aug 5, 2012
Submitted on Aug 5, 2012
1 Comment
"They are members of the "cow pea" or "southern pea" family, just as are black-eyed peas and crowder peas.
And, like so many things in our world, they have a far more interesting history than one would suspect.
Botanists believe the cow pea originated in Africa, specifically in an area which is now the country of Niger.
As a result, these peas were associated with one of our nation's saddest eras. It's believed this family of peas came to America in tandem with the slave trade.
Eaten by slaves, and used as a forage crop for livestock (thus the name "cow peas"), whites were initially not attracted to them."
http://www.purplehull.com/PurpleHulls.ht...
Lots of information here about the peas.