California Blackeye #5 Cowpea Seeds

California Blackeye #5 is the most popular and widely grown blackeye pea variety in the country, prized for its vigorous growth, heavy yields, and rich, lightly sweet flavor. This heirloom cowpea produces upright to semi-spreading plants that reach 16 to 18 inches tall. The plants set abundant clusters of long, well-filled pods measuring 6 to 8 inches each, packed with medium-large cream-colored seeds bearing the classic dark black eye that gives this variety its name. The seeds have a meaty texture and rich, savory flavor that has made them a cornerstone of Southern cooking for generations. California Blackeye #5 is an incredibly versatile crop that can be enjoyed as fresh green shell peas, dried for long-term storage, or preserved through canning and freezing. The young leaves of the plant are also edible and can be cooked as nutritious greens. This dual-purpose nature makes it one of the most efficient crops you can grow in terms of total food production per square foot. One of the standout qualities of cowpeas is their exceptional heat tolerance. Unlike many garden peas that struggle in summer temperatures, California Blackeye #5 thrives in hot weather with ideal growing temperatures between 70°F and 95°F. They also show fair drought resistance once established, making them a reliable producer even during dry spells. As a legume, the plants fix nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility for future crops and making them an excellent choice for crop rotation or as a cover crop ahead of fall plantings. Plant in full sun with rich, well-drained soil after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has thoroughly warmed. Our non-GMO seeds are open-pollinated, untreated, and provided in their natural state.