Cicer: The Humble Chickpea Plant Worth Considering
If you’ve ever enjoyed hummus or tossed chickpeas in a salad, you’ve already met Cicer – though you might not have realized it! This unassuming annual forb is better known for what’s in your pantry than what’s in your garden, but it might just deserve a spot in your landscape for reasons beyond the dinner table.
What Exactly Is Cicer?
Cicer is the botanical name for the genus that includes our beloved chickpea. As an annual forb, it’s a non-woody plant that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season. Think of it as nature’s protein factory – a humble plant that quietly fixes nitrogen in your soil while producing those nutritious little pods we all know and love.
This plant lacks the significant woody tissue you’d find in shrubs or trees, instead sporting a more herbaceous growth habit with stems that remain relatively soft and green throughout the growing season.
Where Does Cicer Call Home?
Originally from the Mediterranean region, Middle East, and parts of Asia, Cicer has become quite the world traveler. It’s now established across many parts of North America, including Alabama, Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and extends into Canadian provinces like Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. You’ll even find it growing in Puerto Rico!
As a non-native species that reproduces spontaneously in the wild, Cicer has proven quite adaptable to various North American climates and conditions.
Should You Grow Cicer in Your Garden?
Here’s where things get interesting. While Cicer isn’t native to North America, it’s not considered invasive or problematic either. This puts it in that neutral zone where the choice is really up to you and your gardening goals.
The Case for Growing Cicer:
- Nitrogen fixation: Like other legumes, it improves soil health by converting atmospheric nitrogen into forms plants can use
- Pollinator support: The small, pea-like flowers (typically white, pink, or purple) attract bees and other beneficial insects
- Dual purpose: You get both soil improvement and potential food harvest
- Low maintenance: Once established, it requires minimal care
Consider Native Alternatives:
If you’re committed to native-only gardening, consider these nitrogen-fixing native legumes instead:
- Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis)
- Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
- American groundnut (Apios americana)
Growing Cicer Successfully
If you decide to give Cicer a try, you’ll find it’s refreshingly straightforward to grow. This cool-season crop doesn’t demand much fuss – just the basics done right.
Ideal Growing Conditions:
- Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight daily)
- Soil: Well-drained soil with good drainage – avoid waterlogged areas
- Climate: Cool season crop that prefers moderate temperatures
- Hardiness: Can be grown as an annual across USDA zones 2-11, depending on planting timing
Planting and Care Tips:
- Direct seed in spring after the last frost date
- Plant seeds about 1-2 inches deep
- Space plants 4-6 inches apart
- Water regularly during establishment, then reduce as plants mature
- No need for nitrogen fertilizer – the plants make their own!
- Harvest pods when they’re plump but still green for fresh eating, or wait until dry for storage
The Bottom Line
Cicer might not win any beauty contests in the ornamental plant world, but it brings some solid practical benefits to the table – literally and figuratively. Its nitrogen-fixing abilities, pollinator appeal, and potential food value make it a worthy consideration for gardeners interested in productive landscapes.
While it’s not native to North America, it’s not causing ecological havoc either. If you’re strictly focused on native plants, there are plenty of indigenous alternatives that offer similar benefits. But if you’re open to well-behaved non-natives that earn their keep, Cicer might just surprise you with its quiet usefulness.
Whether you grow it for the soil benefits, the pollinators, or the possibility of homegrown hummus, Cicer proves that sometimes the most valuable garden plants are the ones that work behind the scenes.
