Lady Cream Cowpeas

Lady Cream Pea is an heirloom, open-pollinated southern pea variety that dates back to the 1800s. Also known as "Lady Finger Pea," this smaller field pea has an excellent creamy flavor. The plants are bushy and produce runners that sprawl, but trellising is not necessary. Lady Cream Pea is heat-tolerant and performs well in drier growing conditions. It continues to flower when planted in spring and sets new pods throughout the summer months. Additionally, it can be grown as a fall crop when planted in late summer or early fall. The pods, which are initially green, turn yellow when they are ready to be harvested and shelled. Each pod averages 7 to 8 inches long and contains about 14 peas. These peas are delicious when prepared fresh and also freeze or can exceptionally well after blanching.