Pigeon Pea Seeds (Cajanus cajan) | Jamaican Gungo / Gandules

Grow Pigeon Peas for Caribbean-Inspired Cooking

Pigeon pea, also known as Jamaican Gungo, Gandules, and Congo pea, is a warm-climate legume valued for its flavorful shelled peas. Grow Cajanus cajan for cooked rice and peas, hearty soups, stews, and dal-style dishes. A garden-grown harvest brings this familiar Caribbean ingredient closer to your kitchen.

Plant details

• Botanical name: Cajanus cajan
• Common names: Pigeon pea, Gungo peas, Gandules, Congo peas
• Growth habit: Shrubby perennial in frost-free climates; grown seasonally where frost occurs
• Light: Full sun
• Season: Warm weather with a long growing season
• Harvest timing: Approximately 120–140 days as listed; timing varies with climate and growing conditions
• Product supplied: Seeds for planting, not live plants

Starting your seeds

Direct sow after frost risk has passed and the soil is warm. Choose a sunny location with well-draining soil. Sow approximately 3/4–1 inch deep. Allow generous space for the plants to branch rather than crowding them together.

Where the warm growing season is short, an indoor start may provide a head start. Use individual pots and gradually acclimate seedlings to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Protect plants from frost.

Growing and care

Keep soil evenly moist during germination and establishment without waterlogging. Water as needed during dry weather and pod development. Keep weeds under control while plants are young and leave room around established shrubs for airflow and harvesting.

Harvest and kitchen use

For green peas, harvest developed pods while the peas are plump and shell them before cooking. For dried peas, allow pods to mature and dry, then shell and finish drying the peas thoroughly before storing them in a cool, dry place.

Cook harvested peas before eating. Enjoy them in Caribbean rice dishes, savory stews, soups, or dal-style recipes. The seeds supplied here are for planting, not ready-to-eat food.

Choose your quantity

Select from 30 seeds, 1 ounce, 1/4 pound, 1 pound, 5 pounds, or 20 pounds. Weight-based packets are sold by weight, not a guaranteed seed count.