Viney plants with large seed and leaves Tolerant to drought, slightly low pH, infertility Easy to establish -- clean till or no-till Uses - hay, deer, creep feed for calves Fills in forage gap between spring and fall growth Cowpea produces annual viney plants with large leaves. The species is tolerant of drought, low fertility, and soil acidity. Cowpea, however, does require adequate levels of phosphorus in order to be productive. Forage nutritive value is high and plants are easily established during May-June. Cowpea is often used as a warm-season planting for white-tailed deer to offset the negative effects of summer stress. Allowing growing animals to have creep access to cowpea provides for enhanced animal performance during summer when forage nutritive value of other species is typically reduced. Cowpea does not cause bloat in ruminants. Yield potential:  Cowpea yields are highly variable -- from 1 or 2 tons per acre to 4 or 5 tons per acre, depending on rainfall and soil fertility. Seeding rate:   To obtain a pure stand of cowpea and a high potential yield, 50 to 100 pounds of seed per acre are frequently planted.  As little as 30 to 40 pounds per acre is adequate for a cover crop to reduce soil erosion and add modest amounts of nitrogen to the soil. Images Leaves
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