Plant of the Week
Southern Peas, Black-eyed Peas
Latin: Vigna unguiculata
American history books describe our country as a melting pot of peoples,
cultures and customs. But the blast furnace of American commerce quickly tries
to meld us into like-minded consumers; so we buy the same products, eat the same
food, drive the same SUVs and see the same movies. Mass marketing is oh-so
efficient.
Across the South serious assaults have been made on our uniqueness, but we
still have pockets of resistance. While strip mall restaurants along the
interstate serve us our "American" food, small mom-and-pop diners along the old
state highways preserve the daily blue plate special and keep our Southern
heritage alive. The best of these serve fresh, locally grown produce like
southern peas.
The southern pea, Vigna unguiculata, has its own lexicon of names.
Yankees call it the cowpea, a name never heard south of the lilac–crape myrtle
line. Southerners also know it as the black-eyed-pea, the pink eye pea, the
purple hull pea, the cream pea or the crowder. The genetics of this vegetable
are extremely pliable and breeders have developed an array of plant sizes, forms
and seed types to meet every need.
Modern southern peas are a fast-growing, free-standing, high-yielding crop
that mostly reaches about knee high at maturity with long pods held above the
foliage. The pod itself is either cream or purple in color and more or less
pencil-shaped. Each pod is jammed with 20 or more peas, which are shelled as
soon as the seeds reach full size and firmness, but before they
begin to dry down.
Southern peas made their way to our shores in 1675 from Jamaica, where they
had been introduced by slave traders from Africa. The pea probably originated in
India or southern Asia. It’s an important source of protein throughout much of
India and Africa.
Dr. Teddy Morelock, a plant breeder with the Department of Horticulture at
the University of Arkansas, heads the largest southern pea breeding program in
the U.S. Morelock is a native of Greenland, Ark. He received his undergraduate
training from the U of A and his doctorate in plant breeding from the University
of Wisconsin in 1973.
Morelock’s breeding program evaluates about 5000 lines of southern peas each
summer. He works closely with Siloam Spring-based Allen Canning Company in
developing high-yielding, disease-resistant southern peas that can be easily
machine harvested.
The pea breeding program began with the work of Dr. John Bowers in the
1950's. A dozen cultivars have been released since then. To date, Morelock has
released six pea selections, including Excel, Early Acre and Early Scarlet, the
most popular selection.
About 200,000 acres of southern peas are grown in the U.S., and about 10
percent of the acreage is planted to his introductions. In addition to southern
peas, Morelock conducts an active spinach breeding program and is gearing up to
produce the world’s hottest pepper.
Laurin Wheeler, a friend here in Fayetteville with considerable ability in
the culinary arts, shared his recipe for what he calls Arkansas caviar – a cold
southern pea salad:
- Boil 2 pounds of fresh southern peas until tender and then dump in cold
water to cool. -Chop one cup of sweet onion and one bunch of cilantro and mix
with the peas and refrigerate.
- Prepare a sauce of one-half cup each of olive oil, Spice Island red vinegar
and lemon juice. Add as much finely chopped garlic as you dare. Add 2
tablespoons of ground cumin seed and salt and pepper to your taste.
- Pour the dressing over the peas just prior to serving.
Southern peas are warm-weather plants and should not be planted until the
soil is warm and toasty, preferably above 65 degrees. Multiple plantings can be
made at three-week intervals to have fresh peas all summer and fall. Space the
seeds about 2 inches apart down the row. The rows should be 3-4 feet apart.
Southern peas are one vegetable that don’t require pampering. They thrive in
our summer heat and stand up to the dry weather without a complaint. Most
selections require 50-55 days from planting until harvest in the green pea
stage. If dried peas are desired, 65-75 days is needed.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist
- Ornamentals
Extension News -
August 24, 2001
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