Ezelle Family Fish Eye African Pea (Blackeyed Pea)
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Vigna unguiculata
Seeds per pack ~ 60
Germination 93% Packed for 2025
This vegetable seems to have a different name in each section of the country. Southern peas are also called cowpeas, field peas, crowder peas, and black-eyed peas. Several varieties have historically been cultivated in Africa, and were transported to the Americas via the transatlantic slave trade, hence a new term, African Peas. By whatever name you call them, they’re an old favorite in the South and can be grown where both days and nights are warm for a period of 60-90 days.
A key ingredient in Hoppin’ John (peas, rice and pork) and part of African-American “soul food” cuisine, called a pea, but it is actually a bean. Both peas and beans are legumes, and both have edible seeds and pods. Brought to the West Indies by enslaved West Africans, by earliest records in 1674, black-eyed peas (Vigna unguiculata) are a variety of the cowpea (also called a field pea) and are part of the family of beans & peas.
Origins and History
The Ezelle Family Blackeye African Pea (Vigna unguiculata) is a treasured heirloom variety preserved through generations of the Ezelle family, whose roots trace to the American South and the African diaspora. Like many black-eyed pea types, its ancestry lies in West Africa, where cowpeas were domesticated thousands of years ago and brought to the Americas through the transatlantic trade. This particular strain has been carefully maintained for its adaptability, dependable yields, and cultural significance in African American food traditions. It reflects both agricultural heritage and community resilience, having been grown in family gardens for decades.
Cultivated since pre-historic times in China and India, they are related to the mung bean. Originally used as food for livestock, they became a staple of the diet of enslaved Africans in the Americas. During the Civil War, black-eyed peas (field peas) and corn were thus ignored by Sherman’s troops. Left behind in the fields, they became important food for the Confederate South. In the American South, eating black-eyed peas and greens (such as collards) on New Year’s Day is considered good luck: the peas symbolize coins and the greens symbolize paper money.
Appearance and Characteristics
Ezelle Family Blackeye African Pea produces robust, vining or semi-bushy plants with delicate pale-purple blooms. Its pods are slender, light green when immature, and maturing to a creamy tan with a distinctive black “eye” marking at the hilum. The seeds are small to medium in size, smooth, and uniform in color, with a dense texture ideal for cooking. This variety is heat- and drought-tolerant, thriving in warm climates where other legumes might falter.
Culinary Uses
Highly valued for its earthy, nutty flavor, the Ezelle Family Blackeye African Pea is a versatile kitchen staple. Traditionally used in dishes such as Hoppin’ John, stews, and seasoned pot likker greens, it also works well in cold salads, fritters, and as a protein-rich side. The peas retain their shape during cooking while developing a tender, creamy texture, making them equally suited for fresh shelling or dry storage use.
Growing Tips (Vegetation Zones and Sow Depth)
This heirloom thrives in USDA Zones 7–10, preferring full sun and well-drained soils. Direct sow seeds outdoors once soil temperatures reach at least 65°F, planting 1–1.5 inches deep and spacing 4–6 inches apart in rows 18–36 inches apart. For climbing types, provide a trellis or other support. It tolerates poor soils but benefits from moderate compost or organic fertilizer. As a legume, it naturally enriches soil by fixing nitrogen, making it an excellent rotation crop.
Harvesting Guidance
For fresh shelling peas, harvest pods when plump and still green, typically 60–70 days after planting. For dry peas, allow pods to mature fully on the plant until they turn brown and dry, usually 80–90 days from sowing. Pick during dry weather to prevent mold, and thresh gently to release seeds. Store dried peas in a cool, dark, airtight container for long-term use.
Botanical Origins of Vigna unguiculata
Vigna unguiculata, commonly known as cowpea, black-eyed pea, or southern pea, is a species of legume that originated in sub-Saharan Africa. Its wild relatives are native to tropical regions of West Africa, where the plant evolved in dry savanna ecosystems characterized by seasonal rainfall and poor soils. Genetic and archaeological evidence points to the Sahel region—spanning modern-day Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso—as the primary center of domestication. This region’s fluctuating climate favored plants that could tolerate drought, leading to the selection of early cowpea types adapted to marginal soils and variable moisture. The species’ genetic diversity is greatest in Africa, supporting its identification as the evolutionary cradle of the crop.
History of Domestication
Domestication of Vigna unguiculata likely began more than 3,000 years ago, when early African farmers began selecting plants with larger seeds, less pod shattering, and improved taste. These cultivated forms were closely associated with the rise of settled agriculture in West African communities that also grew millet and sorghum. Archaeobotanical finds from central Ghana and the Niger River basin confirm cowpea’s early presence in African farming systems. Its rapid domestication was driven by its multipurpose utility—as a source of protein-rich seeds, edible leaves, and soil-enriching green manure.
Spread and Diversification
From West Africa, domesticated cowpea spread along ancient trade routes both within Africa and beyond. It moved eastward into Ethiopia and down into southern Africa, where it diversified under local growing conditions and cultural preferences. Through trans-Saharan trade and contact with the Mediterranean world, Vigna unguiculata reached India by around 2,000 years ago, and later spread to Southeast Asia. The species was introduced to the Americas in the 16th–17th centuries via the transatlantic slave trade, where enslaved Africans carried seeds and culinary traditions that became embedded in Southern U.S. food culture. In the Americas, cowpea adapted to new environments and diversified into varieties such as the black-eyed pea, clay, cream, and crowder types. Today, it is a global crop cultivated across tropical and subtropical regions, valued for its resilience, nitrogen-fixing ability, and central role in food security.
