PigeonpeaCajanus cajan
The Pigeonpea gets its common English name form Barbados where the peas were once used as pigeon feed. It is actually a native of India and the highly nutritious seeds which can be brown, pale grey or speckled are used as toor dhal. It is also known in Malaysia as kacang dal.
In this southern part of Australia, Pigeonpea grows well as a sparse open shrub to about 3 metres and is crowned with brown yellow pea flowers for a large part of the year. Unfortunately it is not quite warm enough for the flowers to set seed and it really needs a dry tropical climate to do well. As a nitrogen fixing legume however it will improve the soil and its open habit means it has potential to be used as a support for summer crops such as cucumbers or french beans.
In this southern part of Australia, Pigeonpea grows well as a sparse open shrub to about 3 metres and is crowned with brown yellow pea flowers for a large part of the year. Unfortunately it is not quite warm enough for the flowers to set seed and it really needs a dry tropical climate to do well. As a nitrogen fixing legume however it will improve the soil and its open habit means it has potential to be used as a support for summer crops such as cucumbers or french beans.
The bean, Guandu, known here as is common in wilderness areas, arid and hot. It is typical food in the northeast, with a strong flavor is consumed in a cooked with dried meat, is rich in nutrients and minerals. For the soil is used to dry their beans without the beans and leaves, for replacement of nitrogen in the soil, a common practice here due to it being common in areas with poor soils.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting as our plants are familiar to each other. In all the earth seems to be even a large village, with customs and traditions a little different, but with matters common to all such village. And as we live in a big global village, I think we should feel brethren, and without demagogy feel the earth as our home. And as every house has a garden so extensive and beautiful, should have gardeners to take care of it, I think blogs like yours provide a way for clarification of "gardeners"and caretakers of this beautiful home so that is our planet. I am sending to your e-mail some photos of my garden, part of the enormous garden of rare species that we have across the globe. Cheers!