PIGEON PEAS (Cajanus cajan)

 

Flower with young pods starting to form.

Over a year ago, near the end of 2019, I bought a tiny Pigeon Pea plant in a 4" pot from Home Depot.  This is the first time I had ever seen them sold in Hawaii so I was thrilled to buy it and try it out in my garden.  I had seen it growing as a 5ft bush in Fiji, so I knew it needed a bit of room.  I planted my baby plant in a big old rusty wash tub that sits in my container kitchen garden area.  I guessed that as it grew into a shrub, the roots would be able to grow into the ground through the rusty holes in the tub.  By March the Pigeon Pea bush was about 3 1/2 feet tall and throwing out sprays of pretty yellow pea flowers.  Within a few weeks I was using the young green peas in a few curry meals.  I did not do any cutting back of the bush but left it to grow on just to see what it did.  I was also reluctant to cut branches back in case I was causing a latter reduction on flowering....when ever that was going to happen.  But it never did flower.  The bush just kept growing bigger and bigger.  By September, it had grown as tall as the house and was giving way too much shade to the other food plants.  Then we got a big rain storm and with the strong winds, and the weight of the rain on the branches, it was just too much and the the whole bush and tub fell over.  I was able to get it back up but I had to chop off a large part in front to make it stable.  Finally, in late November the tree started getting flowers again and by New Years Eve I was picking the green peas and then a few weeks later, I was picking the mature dry peas.  Just a few days ago I called the season over and cut the bush way back down to about 4 ft. high.  The branches got thrown into the compost heap.  I plan on keeping it trimmed low from now on, knowing that it will start to flower in the late fall/autumn, and I will be able to continue my education about this plant.  It seems that I should get five or more years out of it.

Green Pea stage

Actually, it has been a good plant to have around.  It is something new and of interest to learn about while I cannot go off traveling to new places because of the Covid 19 pandemic.  The yellow flowers are pretty and cheerful in the garden and it has been a pleasure to watch the bees come in to visit them.  I have been showing off the the bush to interested gardening friends as it is something different to be growing protein foods in your garden.  I also had plenty of peas to share out with them for growing their own.  I hear that the peas are sprouting well within a few weeks of planting.

Mature green and dry peas 

Pigeon Peas only broke onto my consciousness when I saw them growing in home gardens in Fiji some fives years ago or so.  Some of the Indian shop keepers would be shelling Pigeon Peas on the shop counter top between serving customers.   They would kindly answer my questions about how they used them.  Being a protein filled pulse, the Pigeon Peas are very popular with vegetarians.  They are a common food source in  India, Caribbean and Africa.  It actually was introduced into Hawaii by sugar plantation workers brought from Puerto Rico but still not something I was aware of until recently.  I actually saw someone selling the Puerto Rican food, Arroz Con Gandules, out by the road over Waianae side of the island recently.  So somebody is still using Pigeon Peas in a traditional way.  Meanwhile, I think Hawaii gardeners are becoming more aware of this plant as well.  A few people in local gardening Facebook groups are growing it for the first time.  Those who are into permaculture and growing "food forests" are especially interested.  The Pigeon Peas not only provide protein food for humans but also for chickens and other birds.  The bush is a good "pioneer" plant that can help break up new soil and provide nitrogen for future crops.  It also can be used as a quick growing wind break or to provide shelter for tender young fruit trees.  The leafy foliage of Pigeon Peas  is good fodder for animals like goats and cows or it can be "chopped and dropped" to provide a nitrogen rich mulch if the trees are kept trimmed down in size.  Even the strong lower branches of the plant can be used as a good burning firewood.  Suddenly this plant is looking very prestigious.  Everybody in the tropical world should be growing it!  

One year old bush

Pigeon Pea is an ancient food that has been used for thousands of years.  This perennial legume is high in vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as protein.  To add to all its accolades, it is a tough plant that can handle poor soils and dry periods.  The pea pods can be harvested when they are plump but still green and the peas eaten raw or cooked in things like curries and stews.  You can also leave the pea pods on the bush a few more weeks to dry out and use the dry peas to store for future meals. Do not leave them on the tree for too long as there is a tiny bug that will eat them or they can go musty with the rain.  The peas dry quickly and can be stored for extended periods.  I have been sun drying my mature peas to finish them off and then I will pop them into the freezer for 24 hours to kill any bugs before I store them in jars.  I do this to rice and all the pulses that I buy at the super market too. The dried peas can be used in soups or rice dishes etc. but have to be softened first.  You soak them overnight in water or boil them for 90 minutes to do this.  Arroz Con Gandules is a rice dish with tomato sauce and herbs etc. added while there is a Jamaican version using coconut milk with spices that sounds really good too.

Aloha

PS   Feb 2021

Just noticed for the very first time that our local Foodland is selling canned green pigeon peas.  I am sure that I have not seen them before.  It is a sign of the times.....the local Puerto Ricans are making their claim in local cuisine.