🥕 Pigeon Peas
Cajanus cajan
vegetables perennial legume shrub (often grown as annual)
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
low to moderate, drought-tolerant
🗺️ Zones
9, 12 (perennial), annual elsewhere
🪴 Soil Type
well-draining, tolerates poor soils
🧪 Soil pH
5.0-7.0
💧 Drainage
Well-drained
📏 Spacing
18-36 in. apart, 36-60 in. between rows (perennial shrub)
📅 Days to Maturity
120-200 days (from seed); short-duration varieties 120-140 days, long-duration 180-200 days
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ ["Dahl🍽️ soups🍽️ stews🍽️ fresh green peas🍽️ dried split peas (toor dal)"]
🤝 Companions (7)
🤝 corn
In the traditional 'three sisters' and African intercropping, pigeon peas fix nitrogen for corn while corn provides wind protection for young pigeon pea shrubs.
Millet and pigeon peas are a drought-tolerant African intercrop — pigeon peas fix nitrogen for millet while millet's quick growth provides early groundcover.
Sorghum and pigeon peas are a classic dryland intercrop — pigeon peas fix nitrogen to support sorghum's grain production while sorghum provides light shade.
🤝 peanuts
Both are nitrogen-fixing legumes with compatible root depths — peanuts grow low while pigeon peas grow tall, making efficient use of vertical and horizontal space.
🤝 sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes create living groundcover beneath pigeon pea shrubs, suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture while pigeon peas fix nitrogen above.
🤝 citrus trees
Pigeon peas make excellent nurse trees for young citrus — they fix nitrogen, provide wind protection, and can be pruned for mulch as citrus matures.
Pigeon peas provide the partial shade young coffee plants need; their nitrogen fixation improves soil fertility — a traditional shade-grown coffee companion.
⚠️ Keep Apart (0)
No antagonistic relationships recorded yet.
💊 Medicinal Uses
Contains phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Rich in protein, folate, and magnesium. Traditional Ayurvedic and folk remedy for liver disorders, jaundice, and inflammation. Leaf decoction used for coughs, diarrhea, and as a mouthwash for toothache and gum disease. Seeds used as poultice for wounds.
📝 Notes
Deep-rooted perennial nitrogen fixer. Excellent for agroforestry and alley cropping. Provides partial shade for understory crops. Edible peas, animal fodder, and green manure. Lives 3-5 years as perennial.