Chickpea is an annual legume grown for its protein-rich edible seeds, reaching 20–50 cm tall. It thrives in warm, sunny conditions with modest water once established, and is grown as a field crop rather than a houseplant.
Family
Fabaceae (Pea & bean family)
Grows as
Annual
Light
Full sun
Water
Water moderately during establishment and flowering, then reduce as pods mature; avoid waterlogging.
Soil
Well-drained loam or sandy loam, neutral to slightly alkaline.
Temperature
15–30 °C; protect from frost.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Not known to be toxic
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
SE. Türkiye to Iran
Climate
temperate
About
The chickpea or chick pea (Cicer arietinum) is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds. Its different types are variously known as gram, Bengal gram, chana, garbanzo, garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes, the oldest archaeological evidence of which was found in Syria.
Chickpeas are high in protein. The chickpea is a key ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, used in hummus, and, when soaked and coarsely ground with herbs and spices, then made into patties and fried, falafel. As an important part of Indian cuisine, it is used in salads, soups, stews, and curries. In 2023, India accounted for 75% of global chickpea production.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Chickpea by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.