Mississippi Purplehull Pea
Mississippi Purple Hull pea is a beloved southern pea variety, known for its deep purple pods and hearty, flavorful peas. This variety is a brown crowder pea, meaning the peas are brownish and packed tightly ("crowded") in the pod. Crowder peas often have a richer, earthier flavor than the blackeye or pinkeye types, and Mississippi Purple is no exception. Developed by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and released in 1973, this open-pollinated variety was bred for improved disease resistance and productivity. The plants themselves are semi-vining but compact, setting lots of pods that stick out above the foliage for easy picking.
- This is an annual heirloom seed that grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-11.
- Each packet will have a little over 25 seeds.
- Semi-vining habit so no trellis required.
Mississippi Purple Hull pea is a beloved southern pea variety, known for its deep purple pods and hearty, flavorful peas. This variety is a brown crowder pea, meaning the peas are brownish and packed tightly ("crowded") in the pod. Crowder peas often have a richer, earthier flavor than the blackeye or pinkeye types, and Mississippi Purple is no exception. Developed by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and released in 1973, this open-pollinated variety was bred for improved disease resistance and productivity. The plants themselves are semi-vining but compact, setting lots of pods that stick out above the foliage for easy picking.
- This is an annual heirloom seed that grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-11.
- Each packet will have a little over 25 seeds.
- Semi-vining habit so no trellis required.
Mississippi Purple Hull pea is a beloved southern pea variety, known for its deep purple pods and hearty, flavorful peas. This variety is a brown crowder pea, meaning the peas are brownish and packed tightly ("crowded") in the pod. Crowder peas often have a richer, earthier flavor than the blackeye or pinkeye types, and Mississippi Purple is no exception. Developed by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and released in 1973, this open-pollinated variety was bred for improved disease resistance and productivity. The plants themselves are semi-vining but compact, setting lots of pods that stick out above the foliage for easy picking.
- This is an annual heirloom seed that grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-11.
- Each packet will have a little over 25 seeds.
- Semi-vining habit so no trellis required.
Growing Instructions
Growing Mississippi Purple Hull peas is very similar to growing its pinkeye cousin, with a few notes specific to its crowder pea nature. They are best planted in warm conditions when soil temperatures are reliably 70° or above. Direct sow the seeds about 1" deep and 3"–4" apart in rows about 24"–36" apart. The plants will form a low bush (often around 24" tall) with a semi-vining habit, meaning they may send out short runners. They generally don’t need a trellis, but giving them a little extra room or a short fence to clamber on won’t hurt and can keep pods cleaner. For maximum yield, provide full sun and average, well-drained garden soil. Like other cowpeas, these tolerate poor fertility and dry spells, but you'll get the best results with moderate watering and an occasional feeding of compost or low-nitrogen fertilizer (too much nitrogen will produce more leaves than peas).
Harvest, Storage, and Use
Mississippi Purple Hull peas typically mature in roughly 60-75 days from planting. You'll know they're ready when the pods have turned a reddish-purple color along most of their length. At that stage, the peas inside are plump and green, but they will turn brown if allowed to fully dry. To harvest, simply grasp the pod and give a gentle tug. If they're actually ready, they often come off easily. It's best to pick continuously every few days once pods start coloring since leaving too many mature pods on the plant can signal the plant to slow down production. After picking, shell the peas by splitting open the pods and pushing out the peas with your thumb. If you let pods dry on the vine, you can harvest dry peas that store like dry beans. Dried Mississippi Purple peas can be kept in a jar for months. Many gardeners like to blanch and freeze fresh-shelled crowder peas for that garden-fresh taste later in the year. To do this, boil the shelled peas for 2 minutes, then cool and pack in freezer bags.
The green crowder peas can be cooked fresh by simmering them in water or broth with a bit of seasoning or toss them into soups and stews. Dry peas can be prepared like dry beans. They have a hearty, almost nutty flavor and hold their shape well, making a satisfying side dish or protein-rich addition to meals.
| 👍 Good companions | Corn, squash (shade soil and reduce weeds), tomatoes, peppers (benefit from nitrogen fixed by cowpeas), and most other vegetables like turnips, parsnips, potatoes, eggplant, radishes, cucumbers, carrots, beans, and brassicas | ||
| 👎 Bad companions | Alliums like onions and garlic, and gladiolus flowers (inhibit growth) | ||
| Growing zones | 5-11 | Crop type | Annual |
| Crop difficulty | Mid | Seed type | Heirloom |
| Sowing method | Direct Sow | Containers? | Large / Bed |
| Sun req. | Full Sun | Ideal soil temp. | 75-95°F |
| Days to germination | 7-14 days | Days to maturity | 60-75 days |
| Seed spacing | 3"-4" | Row spacing | 36"-48" |
| Seed depth | 1" | Needs support? | No |