Practical
Plants

Vigna unguiculata cylindrica

Jerusalem Pea

an annual member of the Vigna genus in the family Leguminosae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Vigna
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young seedpods - cooked[3][1]. They are picked whilst the seeds are very immature and then cooked like French beans[2]. Seed - cooked[3][2]. Rich in protein.

Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Seedpod

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed is diuretic[5]. It is used to strengthen the stomach[5]. When boiled and eaten as a food it is considered to destroy worms in the stomach[5].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Stomachic

Ecology and functions

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
S. Asia.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in trays in early to mid spring in a greenhouse. Germination should take place within 10 days. Grow the plants on fast and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them the protection of a cloche for their first few weeks outdoors to ensure that they do not suffer a check to their growth. An outdoor sowing in situ in late spring may succeed in a warm summer, though it is much more likely to be a disappointment in Britain.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a very warm sunny position in a moist but well drained soil. Often cultivated for its edible seed in warm temperate and tropical zones, it is best started off in a greenhouse in Britain and planted out after the last expected frosts. Plants have given reasonable yields for the past 3 years on our trial grounds in Cornwall (1993)[K]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[4]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

References

  1. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  2. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  3. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  5. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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