African

Sprawling plants with low climbing tendency. Pods green with purple tips measure 4-6.5" long. Pendant pods 2-4 per peduncle with 8-12 seeds. Seeds tend to be hard-seeded. Violet flowers. Small, rhomboid, tan-colored seeds. Very late maturing when grown at Heritage Farm in 2015. Acquired by SSE from the South Carolina Foundation Seed Association. This variety is part of the Dr. David Bradshaw (retired, Horticulture Dept., Clemson University) heirloom collection. It's described by the SCFSA as "This variety of southern cowpea has been grown along the coastal barrier islands since long before the Civil War. They are thought to have come to us from Africa with some of the early slaves. Usually harvested as dried peas for human consumption because they are too tedious to shell fresh." SSE Accession # 109114