Cowpea is a trailing or bushy vine widely cultivated in warm regions. One variety of cowpea, known as the black-eyed pea, grows wild in Africa but is cultivated in the United States. Another kind more common in tropical regions is called the asparagus bean or yard-long bean. The flowers of cowpeas are yellowish-white to purple, and they usually grow in pairs. In the southern United States, cowpeas may be grown as food for livestock. Some kinds of cowpeas are eaten in the pod, shelled, or used in soups and stews.
