Growing African Vegetables in North Carolina — Terere, Managu, and Kunde at Farmsustaina

We may be one of the only farms in North Carolina writing about this. That is precisely why we are doing it.

At Farmsustaina we grow three traditional African vegetables alongside our regular crops: Terere (Amaranthus dubius), Managu (African Nightshade, Solanum scabrum), and Kunde (cowpea leaves, Vigna unguiculata). These are not experimental crops or novelty items. They are staple vegetables eaten daily across East and West Africa, with nutritional profiles that rival or exceed most of what lines American supermarket shelves. They also happen to grow exceptionally well in North Carolina’s summer heat — because they evolved in conditions not unlike what Zone 8a delivers from June through September.

For the Kenyan and East African community in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle, finding these vegetables fresh has historically meant growing your own or going without. We grow them because they belong here — and because the knowledge of how to cultivate and cook them deserves to be preserved, shared, and made accessible.

Terere — Amaranthus dubius

Known as Terere in Kenya and Mchicha in Swahili, Amaranthus dubius is a fast-growing leafy green that thrives in heat, tolerates moderate drought, and produces tender leaves continuously if harvested regularly. It is one of the most nutritionally dense leafy greens available — higher in protein, iron, and calcium than kale by weight — and has been eaten across sub-Saharan Africa for generations. In North Carolina it performs brilliantly through the summer months when cool-season greens have long since bolted. We plant it from late April and harvest continuously through the summer. The leaves are mild, tender, and cook beautifully in a simple sauté with onions, tomatoes, and cream.

→ Our Terere recipe

Managu — African Nightshade (Solanum scabrum)

Managu is one of the most nutritionally significant leafy greens in East Africa and one of the least known in the United States. It carries high levels of iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C — a profile that has led researchers to describe it as a hidden nutritional treasure. The slight bitterness that characterises raw Managu softens completely with correct cooking: boil briefly, drain, then fry with onions and finish with cream or peanut butter. The result is deeply flavourful and entirely unlike anything most American cooks have encountered. In North Carolina, Managu grows reliably through the summer and responds well to organic soil amendment. We grow it in multiple beds at Farmsustaina and bring it to the stand throughout the season.

→ Full profile: Managu at Farmsustaina

Kunde — Cowpea Leaves (Vigna unguiculata)

Cowpeas are already well known in the American South — black-eyed peas are a staple of Southern cooking. What is less known is that the leaves of the same plant are equally valuable as a vegetable, and are eaten extensively across East and West Africa. Kunde is harvested from the young shoots before the plant flowers, yielding tender, protein-rich leaves that stew beautifully with onions, tomatoes, and a finish of cream or whole milk. North Carolina’s heat and humidity suit cowpea perfectly — it is genuinely one of the most heat-tolerant crops in our beds. We grow multiple sowings at Farmsustaina from late March through May to ensure continuous supply through summer.

→ Our Kunde recipe

Why North Carolina is well-suited for all three

All three vegetables evolved in warm climates with intense sun and periods of moisture stress. Zone 8a’s long, hot summer — which defeats many cool-season crops by June — is exactly what these greens are built for. While kale bolts and spinach gives up, Terere, Managu, and Kunde come into their best production. For any gardener in the Triangle looking for productive, low-maintenance summer greens that don’t require air conditioning to survive, these are the crops to grow.

We bring all three to our Good Hope Farm stand in Cary every weekend. If you want to cook with any of them and aren’t sure where to start, come and ask us directly — we’ll walk you through it.

Farmsustaina – Rooted in Nature, Rich in Health – Farm-Fresh & Organic!