Fall Deals:
15% OFF Strawberry Trees - Barbados Cherries - Papayas
15% Off Vitex & Sweet Almond
Roselle & Egyptian Spinach - Buy One Get One Free
🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🌿 ‘Black’ Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) — Compact 4” Starter 🌿
A perfect way to begin your food forest journey! Our 4-inch ‘Black’ Pigeon Pea starter plants are small but mighty—offering all the soil-building, protein-rich, and ornamental benefits of this globally cherished legume, in a size that’s easy to ship and quick to establish.
🌱 Captivating Introduction
Bring beauty, protein, and fertility to your landscape with a compact, ready-to-grow 4” ‘Black’ Pigeon Pea plant. Perfect for gardeners who want to start small and watch their plant flourish!
🌿 Quick Facts Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Cajanus cajan (‘Black’ type) |
| Plant Type | Perennial shrub/woody legume; annual in colder climates |
| Size at Sale | 4-inch pot (starter size) |
| Mature Height & Width | 3–12 ft tall × 3–8 ft wide (smaller if pruned) |
| USDA Zones | 9–11 perennial; annual in 7–8 |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (6–8+ hrs daily) |
| Cold Hardiness | Top growth damaged below 30°F; regrows in frost-free climates |
| Growth Habit | Upright, bushy, nitrogen-fixing |
| Spacing Requirements | 3–4 ft for hedges, 6–10 ft in food forests |
🍈 Fruit & Culinary Details
- Flavor Profile: Earthy, nutty peas; tender when green, creamy when dried and cooked.
- Harvest Season: Late summer through fall in Florida/SE US. 4–6 months from planting in warm climates.
- Fruiting Habits: Heavy yields; best with full sun, consistent moisture, and pruning to encourage branching.
- Culinary Uses: Famous worldwide in toor dal/dhal, arroz con gandules, Caribbean stews, and African soups.
🌱 Top Benefits & Uses
- Protein-Rich Food: Nutritious peas for fresh or dried use.
- Nitrogen Fixer: Naturally enriches soil for companion plants.
- Support Plant: Works as a living trellis for beans, cucumbers, or vines.
- Soil Builder: Improves soil structure with deep roots and chop-and-drop mulch.
- Cultural Heritage: A staple in Indian, Caribbean, and African cuisines, symbolizing prosperity and community.
🌼 Ornamental & Container Notes
- Landscape Appeal: Bushy habit, lush green leaves, yellow blooms, and dark peas.
- Container Friendly: Yes—start your 4” plant in a 1–3 gallon pot, then pot up to 5–10 gallon for longer-term growth.
- Ornamental Uses:
- Edible hedge
- Companion in food forests
- Green manure or summer nurse crop
🌿 Best Practices for Planting & Care
Where to Plant
- Full sun, well-drained sandy or loamy soils.
- Great for orchards, raised beds, hedgerows, and food-forest guilds.
Planting Instructions
- Dig a hole slightly wider than the pot, same depth as root ball.
- Backfill with compost + native soil—do not bury the stem flare.
- Top-dress with compost, biochar, azomite, and mulch (keep mulch off stem).
- Use GreenDreams’ “High & Tight” planting method (see our YouTube guide).
Watering
- Daily until established.
- Transition to weekly in the first year.
- Extra water during drought or flowering season.
Maintenance
- Prune to 3–6 ft for compact hedges and increased pod set.
- Protect from frost in zones 7–9a.
- Expect a 3–5 year productive lifespan.
⚠️ Cautions
- Must be cooked thoroughly before eating seeds.
- Can self-sow in warm climates; control if desired.
- Monitor for aphids, pod borers, and fungal issues.
🌟 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal For:
- Gardeners wanting compact starter plants to grow on
- Permaculture systems, food forests, hedges
- Lovers of Caribbean, African, or Indian cooking
- Soil builders seeking natural nitrogen fixation
❌ Not Ideal For:
- Full-shade gardens
- Cold zones without frost protection
- Growers needing instant large plants (choose 1G+ instead)
❓ FAQ
1) Can a 4” ‘Black’ Pigeon Pea thrive in a container?
Yes! Start in a 1–3 gallon pot and transplant up to 5–10 gallons. Great for patios and small gardens.
2) How long until it produces pods?
4–6 months in warm climates with full sun.
3) Does it improve the soil?
Yes—fixes nitrogen, adds organic matter, and enhances soil aeration.
4) Will it survive frost?
It may die back below 30°F; mulch heavily or grow as an annual in cooler zones.
5) How tall will a 4” plant get?
Expect rapid growth in warm weather—3–6 ft in the first year if cared for properly.
📦 Shipping & Handling Notes (4-Inch Size)
4” plants are best suited for shipping to Florida, the Southeast, and Texas.
We do ship nationwide, but buyers in northern/western US should expect possible shipping stress. Extra recovery time may be needed.
Heat/Cold Disclaimer: Buyer discretion advised during extreme temperatures. We ship Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida. We are not responsible for heat/cold transit damage.
📍 Local Pickup Availability
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Open Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | Sat 8 AM–3 PM
Come see what’s fresh! 🌿
🛒 Grow From the Ground Up!
Start your food forest journey with a compact 4” ‘Black’ Pigeon Pea plant—add one to your cart today!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
-
For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
-
For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
-
We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
-
Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
-
Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
-
Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
-
Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
-
Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
