They can be light green or whitish. They are usually small, and grow on smaller plants. They can be loosely spaced in the pod, in which case these are “Conch” Cream peas, or more tightly packed in the pod, in which case they are “Crowder” Cream Peas. Most Cream Peas are Conch.
The cooking water won’t come out coloured, as it does for other cowpeas. You get a clear bean stock.
Varieties include Lady Peas (aka Rice Peas) and Zipper Cream.
Conch Cream Peas include Bush Conch, Cabbage (aka Bush White Acre), Climax, Elite, Floricream, Freezegreen, Gentlemen, Mississippi Cream, Royal Cream, Running Acre (aka Running Conch), Sadandy, Snapea, Terrace, Texas Creams, and White Acre.
Black-Eyed Peas don’t count as Cream Peas despite their light, creamy colour, because of the black spot on them.
Language Notes
The term “Cream Peas” can also be used to mean a dish of regular sweet green peas cooked up in a cream sauce.