Pinkeye Purple Hull Bush Cowpea Bean is a compact, productive variety of Vigna unguiculata that reaches just 24 inches tall, making it remarkably efficient in the garden. The beans mature in 62 to 90 days, offering a relatively quick harvest window for warm-season growers in zones 5 through 11. This frost-tender annual thrives in full sun and moderate moisture, producing the signature purple-hulled pods that give the variety its memorable name and distinctive appearance at harvest time.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-11
24in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Named for its striking purple-hulled pods, this bush cowpea delivers reliable yields in a compact footprint, reaching only 24 inches tall. The 62 to 90-day harvest window makes it accessible to gardeners with shorter growing seasons, while its growth habit means you can plant it densely without sprawling vines taking over the garden. Direct sowing after the last frost works beautifully, and successive plantings every 7 to 14 days keep fresh pods coming through the season.
Pinkeye Purple Hull Bush Cowpea Beans are grown primarily for their edible pods and seeds. The mature seeds can be shelled, cooked, and enjoyed as a legume, while younger pods can also be harvested and prepared as a green vegetable.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Bean seedlings are sensitive to root disturbance, so starting indoors is not recommended for this variety.
Sow directly outside 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, once soil temperature reaches at least 65°F, ideally 70 to 85°F. Plant seeds 1 inch deep, spacing them 1 inch apart with 24 inches between rows. For continuous harvest, make successive sowings every 7 to 14 days up to 80 days before your average first fall frost date. Avoid sowing as high heat approaches in very hot summer areas.
Harvest when pods reach mature size and the hulls turn their characteristic purple color. For fresh eating, pick younger tender pods; for dry beans, allow pods to fully mature and dry on the plant before collecting and shelling.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.