T. E. Martin Original Purplehull Pea

Predominantly bush habit, with moderate climbing tendency. Violet flowers. Purple pigmentation on plant stems and pod suture and tip. Pods become solid purple at maturity, turning brown with purple blotches when dry. Straight, pendant pods, 8-10" long by 0.4" wide. Rhomboid seeds. Attractive seeds have a brown mottling over a tan background, with varying degrees of purple blushing. Dark eye. Dry cowpeas have standard flavor. Standard productivity. 8-18 seeds per pod. Mid-season maturing. This variety occasionally produces a few seeds that are entirely purple-black. Donor Marcy Frantom, and George Brewton before her, always rogue these seeds out. Frantom told SSE that Brewton believed these seeds to be the result of a long ago accidental cross to a variety called 'Black Crowder.' This variety was brought to Winn Parish, Louisiana from Mississippi by Abner Lafayette Martin sometime during or after the Civil War. His grandson, T. E. Martin of Winn Parish, later shared seeds with George Brewton, a friend who went on to grow the cowpeas himself for more than 20 years. George shared the variety with SSE lister Marcy Frantom (LA FR M) who donated the variety to SSE circa 2004. Marcy uses this variety in soups. (Previously distributed by SSE under the misspelled name 'T. W. Martin Original Purplehull Pea.') SSE Accession # 109039