Several slightly differing types are grown, as blackeye, brown eye, cream and cream crowder, differing in the flower color and color markings on the seeds. The plant needs warm weather, and is injured by any frost. It is bushy, or procumbent, twining but not climbing. Pods are 3 to 12 inches long and slender.
Harvesting is usually by mowing and threshing in a viner, as with green peas.
The pods may also be hand picked. For stock feed, the whole plant is harvested as hay, or pastured. Immature pods and seed may be used as snap beans.