How Tall Can the Pigeon Pea Tree Grow?

Most edible fresh or dried beans come from short herbaceous plants or medium to tall vines. Not so the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), which is a tall shrub that varies with height depending on the cultivar. Pigeon pea is widely grown in India, where it is one of the most common pulses, and Africa. It also grows in subtropical and tropical areas of the New World, especially Central America. Cultivated for more than 3,000 years, pigeon pea tolerates most soils and is drought-tolerant after establishment.

General Description

Pigeon pea is a subtropical and tropical plant growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. In warmest USDA zones, pigeon pea is a short-lived perennial shrub lasting about five years. It is grown as an annual in cooler areas. Plants are woody at the base, usually growing from 3 to 12 feet tall. A deep tap root penetrates 6 feet into the soil, aiding in water reaching deep soil layers and promoting the plant's drought tolerance. Leaves are deep green above, silvery below and in clusters of three leaflets. Yellow sweet-pea-shaped flowers are variously marked with reddish-brown and are a little more than a half inch wide. Flat 2- to 3 1/2-inch green seedpods have red mottling and occur in clusters at branch ends. Pods contain two to nine round or oval seeds that dry to beige or dark brown. The roots possess nodules with rhizobium bacteria that fix nitrogen for the plants.


Pigeon pea has numerous cultivars suited to different growing areas and conditions. In India alone, more than 86 varieties existed as of 1964. Heights vary from tree types, tall varieties, smaller bushes and dwarf varieties. Tree types can reach more than 16 feet tall and grow in tropical areas with long growing periods. For cultivation in areas with shorter growing periods, short duration or early varieties take less time to produce fruit. Late varieties flower 175 to 430 days after planting, while early varieties bloom 90 to 320 days after planting.

Early Varieties

Use early-maturing varieties in cooler areas and grow them as annuals. Some more recently developed cultivars reputedly have more frost tolerance. "Flavus" has yellow flowers and early maturation. Developed in Florida, the variety "Amarillo" can be sown and harvested all year long. Some recently developed early-maturing varieties are "Hunt," "Quantum" and "Quest," which grows 1 1/2 to 4 feet tall. "Norman," developed in Hawaii, is a short, shrubby plant resistant to root-knot nematodes and often used for a green manure crop. It takes about 90 days for plants to mature.


To grow pigeon pea as a home garden crop, choose a short-maturation variety. Plant seeds as soon as frost danger is past at about twice the depth of the seed's diameter. Keep the soil moist and seeds should germinate in two to three weeks, faster in warm soils than in cool ones. For the first three months after germination, growth is slow, but then becomes fast. Plants can start to bloom after two months, but can take longer depending on the cultivar. Pigeon pea is a short-day plant, blooming when nights are long, except for day-neutral varieties such as "Amarillo," which will bloom regardless of day length. Harvest young pods for eating pigeon peas fresh, but let them mature for dried peas.

Suggest a Correction