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- ‘Calhoun Purplehull’ Southern Pea
In 1966, A.C. Miller released his second wilt resistant variety, “Calhoun Purplehull’. Bred and selected for the same desirable traits as Lagreen (top producing, high yielding, easy shelling and excellent quality), Calhoun Purplehull is set apart by its reported rust resistance, reddish purple hull and its semi-vining habit in the shorter days of fall. Calhoun Purplehull was selected from a chance cross growing in a plot of Louisiana Purchase in 1954.Selections were made for several generations until pure. Calhoun Purplehull is very similar to Lagreen in fresh and dry states, light green when fresh and slightly wrinkled and cream colored when dry with a brown eye. Calhoun Purplehull was acquired from GRIN (PI 592373) and grown out in 2022.At that time, the short-day nature of this variety was not known until the following year, when the LSU Circular No. 83 was discovered on a library site, describing the growing characteristics of Calhoun Purplehull. Since it is a fast-maturing variety, it makes a great fall crop when days are shorter and plants are less vining, and more productive. In 2022, it was planted at normal summer planting dates for North Louisiana. While it produced fine as a summer crop in 2022, it was the lowest yielding among all other LSU southern pea varieties planted that same year. Plans are in place to grow Calhoun Purplehull again in fall 2025 to evaluate planting date effects on yield as compared to the summer 2022 crop. Calhoun Purplehull comes highly recommended for home canning, freezing and fresh market for the Louisiana grower via the 1966 Circular ‘Calhoun Purplehull: A New Southern Pea’. Average 63 days to maturity.
Dry Calhoun Purplehull seeds are creamed colored with a darker brown eye than Lagreen.
Calhoun Purplehull pods turning reddish purple as they approach fresh maturity.
Calhoun Purplehull has dark green foliage.
LSU Circular No. 83 entitled ‘Calhoun Purplehull: A New Southern Pea’