Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) are warm-season annual legumes often called black-eyed peas or southern peas. Determining if a cowpea is a bush or pole variety is complex, as their growth habit is highly diverse. Understanding this range of growth is important because the plant’s structure directly influences crop management for a successful harvest. Varieties can be short and bushy, tall and vine-like, or somewhere in between.
Defining the Growth Habits
Cowpeas are generally categorized into two main groups: the bush type and the pole type, which correspond to determinate and indeterminate growth patterns, respectively. Bush varieties are also described as erect or semi-erect types that maintain a compact, self-supporting form. These plants typically reach a canopy height of only two to three feet before focusing their energy on a concentrated set of pods.
Pole varieties exhibit an indeterminate growth habit, meaning they continue to grow vegetatively while producing flowers and pods. These varieties are characterized by long, trailing vines that can extend significantly, requiring structural assistance as they grow. Their thinner, twining stems are designed to climb, distinguishing them from the sturdy, upright stems of bush types.
Garden Planning Based on Growth Habit
The fundamental difference in growth habit directly impacts how a gardener should plan their planting space. Bush varieties, with their compact nature, require no support and can be planted closer together, such as four to six inches apart within the row. Pole varieties demand some form of trellising, such as a fence, netting, or stakes, which must be installed before planting to allow the vines to climb immediately. These vining types also require more space, often needing eight to ten inches between plants to accommodate their spread.
The choice of variety also determines the timing and nature of the harvest. Bush varieties, due to their determinate growth, produce a heavy, concentrated crop over a short window, which is ideal for a single, large harvest. This concentrated set of pods makes them suitable for gardeners who want to process a large batch at once. Pole varieties, with their continuous indeterminate growth, offer a smaller yield per harvest but produce pods over a much longer period, allowing for a steady, season-long supply of fresh peas.
Understanding Semi-Vining Varieties
Not all cowpeas fit strictly into the bush or pole classifications, as many common varieties fall into a semi-vining or semi-bush category. These varieties, often described as semi-erect or prostrate, start with a compact, bushy form but then develop shorter, trailing runners. Varieties like the Top Pick Pinkeye are often described as semi-bush, yielding abundantly on plants because the pods form above the foliage.
Semi-vining types do not require the elaborate trellising needed for true pole varieties, but they benefit from having space to sprawl. Their trailing growth habit means they cover more ground than a strictly erect bush type. This middle-ground growth provides a good option for gardeners seeking a higher yield than a bush type without the full commitment of a tall support system.