Cicer microphyllum Seeds | Small-leaved Chickpea
LATIN NAME: Cicer microphyllum
COMMON NAME: Small-leaved Chickpea
Plant Profile
Small-leaved Chickpea (Cicer microphyllum) is a hardy, low, spreading herb in the pea family. Small-leaved chickpea trails delicate, feathery leaves along low, branched stems, small, pea-like flowers tucked among them, and the whole plant carries the fine, hardy look of the high meadow. It is a plant of open, sunny, light, gritty, well-drained ground. All of this makes Small-leaved Chickpea a satisfying plant to grow and to get to know.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the pea family, Cicer microphyllum draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Its behaviour in gardens is well recorded, thanks to a long history in cultivation.
Uses & Benefits
Small-leaved Chickpea works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Small-leaved chickpea is a hardy, useful plant of high meadow and study collection. It is a hardy, useful plant of open, sunny, light, gritty, well-drained garden. Sow chickpea seeds in a light, sandy mix on a bright sill. In later seasons it demands little more than an appreciative eye.
Chickpea is a protein-and-fiber staple with a low glycemic impact, and its folate and resistant starch make it a pillar of heart-healthy diets.
Growing from Seed
Raising Small-leaved Chickpea from seed is straightforward. Fill a pot with a light seed compost, sow evenly on the surface, cover thinly and stand it somewhere warm, bright and evenly moist. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Its long record of traditional use, described above, gives the plant a story beyond ornament. Given the right start, Small-leaved Chickpea is a long-term garden companion. Once the young plants are away, there is little left to do but watch them grow.
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