They will grow perfectly fine without trellising Anney. They do put out some runners that will at times look like they want a trellis, but it is not necessary. Big fields of them grow fine that way. They are opportunistic however, and last year I had some that found and grew to the top of a six foot chain link fence then horizontal some, and also to the top of several of my five foot tomato cages. Those that did not find anything to climb on did not seem to mind too much tho.
Bill P.

Anney; There are some 150 cultivars of southern (cowpeas) peas. Most of the modern cultivars are bush to semi-bush and grow without any support. Some of the older types however are vining. They are not true climbers like pole beans ( they have slick vines) but they will run six feet or more. They still will grow in an open field, but tend to be a tangled pea patch. To answer your question as to whether or not to provide some support, we would need to know the cultivar.

Here is a link that might be useful: cowpea

No the runners do not root down and there will not be enough of them to be a big problem.

Like tomatoes or anything else, I guess that it depends upon your taste and what your expectations are. I like Black eyed peas (some are labeled California Black Eyed Peas, like these at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) and Purple Hulls too. I had some crowder peas that I bought in a can awhile back that I did not like at all either. They were nothing like I remembered from my childhood. I have not seen any fresh ones in so long that I can not remember when. I can really enjoy eating just a helping of black eyed peas and some corn bread without anything else.

If the results of that search at Baker Creek does not show up, it says"
California Blackeye Pea
70 days. An old standard variety; vigorous, high-yielding vines. Thomas Jefferson grew Blackeye Peas in the 1770s. Cowpeas originate in Africa, are easy to grow, and are very popular in the south; a very ancient crop.

Item Code: CW108
$1.50

Good luck with them, you could try a few of different varieties until you find one that you really like. You might be able to trial more than one variety each summer till you find what you like best.
Bill P.

Farmerdilla

The variety is pinkeye purplehull. I chose it because it has purple seed pods, and I think that was the pod color I remember.

GF

Yeah, if this one isn't the taste, size, and consistency I remember, I'll keep looking.

Those canned peas just can't be compared to fresh ones, can they? I really began to dislike "blackeyed peas" when we were served canned ones in the university cafeteria. Starchy mushy tasteless mess! I have occasionally bought frozen "southern peas" with a few snaps that I can see through the plastic packaging. They aren't bad.

The Pinkeye Purple Hull is a very well behaved pea. Growth pattern and taste very similar to the California #5 blackeye pea. Don't know what type of "field" pea You remember. There are two types popular in Georgia, small white peas ( White Acre or Lady) and small brown peas like Iron Clay. Sometimes you can find the latter in the dried beans section of the supermarket labeled "field" peas.

FD

Thanks.

Maybe I oughta' look for field peas to grow in dried peas section of the supermarket! But the ones I remember weren't brown but light-colored and small.

Willhite Seeds is another good company with a large selection of what they call Southern peas. Their prices and postage are reasonable. Also, they shipping quickly; if you phone in an order, the seeds go out the next day.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern peas @ Willhite, TX

Annie,

I grow a smaller seeded, beige colored pea called Pennyrile (or Penny Rile). We absolutely LOVE them and, when we have Blackeyed Peas, there's generally a bit of a let down for us. So, sometime, you might consider them. Perhaps they're closer to what you remember.

Penny Rile is noted for being more compact in growth. Yet, when it gets something to climb on it will CLIMB! I had one volunteer, last summer, and I gave it a pole, thinking it was a yardlong bean. It was Penny Rile, and it went up over 8 feet and hung part way back down the pole! Yet, if grown without support, it is well contained. Gonefishin has mentioned before that a lot of peas behave this way.

George
Tahlequah, OK

Here is a link that might be useful: Sandhill Cowpeas/Penny Rile