Vigna parkeri has climbing or prostrate stems, sometimes forming mats measuring 0.1–2 m (3.9 in – 6 ft 6.7 in) long.

The stems are thin and often root at the nodes, and are sparsely to densely covered with mostly spreading hairs.

[2][3] Vigna parkeri occurs in subtropical areas such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Kenya and is extremely common in East Africa.

It is best adapted to areas in the upland tropics and lowland subtropics with an average annual temperature between 17–21 °C (63–70 °F).

The top growth is killed even by light frosts, but regenerates readily from surviving rootstocks and stolons with the onset of warm conditions.