The Vigna Mix this coming year will hold about 30 or so different phenotypes of several species of the genus Vigna, plus some pigeon peas :). Most of them are cowpeas, which make up the bulk of this exciting mix. I tried to pick out all the different cowpeas, as you can see below, but I’m sure I missed some of the less populous types. I hope everyone is looking forward to growing this mix!
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Ooh, what are those big fat ones in the middle that look more like peas than cowpeas? Are they a different species?
It is a different seed type of cowpea. The black ones next to it are the same. It is tetrahedral in shape. I was trying to find more information on the different seed types but was unable to. I’ll have to keep looking later. They are huge!
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Any hope to have some sent to france ? I would be very excited to add those to my legumes range.
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@Lowell_McCampbell : I found some “cleapatra’s eye” bean or pea in my box yesterday, when sorting everyone. Would you confirm this is a vigna ? would that be a cowpea ? Just curious to know …
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They look like phaseolus to me but it’s possible they’re a vigna. I’m not familiar with the common name.
Thank you @Lowell_McCampbell , that’s an interesting answer !
I though they looked like tiger’s eye (cowpeas, vigna family) , although the word “haricot” was written on the envelope (haricot oeil de cléopatre) but I know haricot is often used for some of the vigna family, even though they are not phaseolus.
Sooooooo I would be very interested to know what details you see in this picture that make you think about phaseolus. just for my education.
I hope some of them will germinate next spring to we get the answer from the plants themselves.
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I was browsing the R H Shumway catalog and saw these beans that reminded me of your photo. I don’t have any experience with these myself though. Maybe yours share some of its heritage
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I’m leaning towards Phaseolus because they’re very round and have a strong luster. Some cowpea types can be very round but I’ve never seen one with a strong luster, which is very common in Phaseolus.
I think you’ll have to plant them to find out for sure 
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These are probably Phaseolus lunatus, lima beans. The fact that they say butterbeans also gives this away and some appear very flat in the photo, but it is hard to tell by the photo alone. I like limas for their colors, hence my photo, and their taste, but I haven’t figured out the most productive way to grow them. They are vigorous and productive, but only at the very end of the summer for me.
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This looks like a super fun mix! It makes me want to pull my “holstein cowpeas” outta deep storage and add them to my cowpea mix for this summer.
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@Lowell_McCampbell Now that I have this mix in-hand, I’m even more excited to grow it! And you weren’t kidding when you said those seeds in the middle are big… WOW! The shape is intriguing, too. I don’t appear to have any of the black ones in my packet, but I have high hopes for the tan ones in my garden.
I think I managed to ID the yardlong beans, the mung beans, the rice beans, etc. But which ones are the pigeon peas?
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They’re like chickpea sized! I’m sorry to hear you don’t have any black ones. They were at a lower frequency in the mix than many other phenotypes.
Here’s a photo of pigeon peas. The ones you have may be a bit darker gold/brown. They become darker with age.
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I think if they’re the smoother/round ones I’m thinking of, then yeah, they’ve gotten a touch darker.
Here’s my own mix that I’ll be seeding the GTS Vigna mix alongside… a friend thought at first it was a container of candy, which I suppose is a good thing.
I’m most excited about the BIG seeds and the couple of shades of dark dusky rose-ish/red cowpeas, as I don’t currently have any like that in my mix.
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I’m excited. It’s coming in the mail today! Even though I’m pretty far north, I love growing (and eating) cowpeas. I like to interplant them with the corn I grow for the chickens. Has anyone grown out the mix before and know how long of vines to expect? Should it be trellised or should it be selected for bush for easier growing?
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There were some lovely shades of rose in the mix. I noticed those too. Hoping to make lots of intentional crosses this year.
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This is the first year we are offering the mix, so no one has grown it yet! I recommend giving it a strong and tall trellis and giving the seeds generous spacing.
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Cowpeas are usually my best “benign neglect” crop, so I won’t be making intentional crosses, just planting the GTS mix (minus what I could ID of the yardlong beans) and my own mix under a cattle panel and letting them do their thing. I’ve never looked up what, if any, outcrossing rate V. ungiculata has naturally, but I’ll plant some of the ones I wouldn’t mind a little crossing with next to each other and see what happens. And of course, return a lovely mix this fall to GTS to share the love.
What crosses are you specifically looking to do? Do any involve those lovely giant ones?
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100% a Phaseolus spp.
Identifying Vigna vs Phaseolus is easy! Just look at the hilum (Seed Attatchment Point).
Phaseolus always have a nutsack (2 Balls just above the Hilum) that aren’t glued to the hilum.
Vigna’s nutsack is gluded right above the hilum (Not to mention it’s nutsack is far less obvious).
Just to Recap + Bonus ID traits to Reassure you
Phaseolus
- Seed Hilums always in the Middle/Center, Also Small & Uniform.
- Seed Hilums always have Nutsack (or a Pair of Balls) Above the hilum.
- Seeds tend to be more Oval with Smooth Texture.
- Flowers Styles Tightly Coiled.
- Fruit/Pods Tend to be Shorter & Fatter.
Vinga
- Seed Hilums always off Center or Off to 1 side. (Even the most centered Vigna is still slightly off to 1 side)
- Seed Hilums also tend to be longer & more Rectangular.
- Nutsack is glued to the Hilum (There’s no space in between). Also Nutsack is far less Obvious & ball like.
- Flower Style extends Beyond Stigma.
- Fruit/Pods tend to be Long & Skinny
Literally by their fruits you shall know them, I can’t make this shit up 
-Note Seeds count as fruits because what’s inside fruit? Seeds!
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To Answer both of you, I think It’s Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea). Although it’s interesting to see different colors of it. I seen these seeds at my local African Grocery Store. They also sell them in some Asian/International Grocery Stores if you visit the African Section (It’s where I Bought them).
This species belongs to the Vigna (African) Subgenus which are Characterized by seeds being more bean like & less Squareish.
This Subgenus includes Cowpeas, Black-Eyed Peas, Yardlong Beans, etc.
There is also Ceratotropis (Asian) Subgenus. This subgenus beans are Squareish/Rectangular & less bean Like. This Includes Moth Bean, Adzuki beans, Urad Dal, Moong Beans, and many other Indian/Asian Dals.
Lastly is subgenus Plectotropis (European). Which, as far as I know just has Zombie Pea (Vigna vexillata). Don’t know it’s ID Traits, haven’t gotten that far.
Feel free to Correct me if I’m wrong, I want to Learn!
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