Purple Hyacinth Bean – 10 Seeds

Purple Hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) also sometimes called Dolichos lablab, is a perennial bean from tropical Africa that is an important food crop in some parts of Africa and much of Asia, especially India. Other common names include: Indian Bean, Egyptian Bean, Tonga Bean and LabLab.

The fast-growing hyacinth bean vine functions as an ornamental plant, food source, and butterfly magnet, and even works as a beautiful privacy fence. The leaves, stems, and seed pods are purple tinged. The flowers resemble sweet peas in purple, white and lilac hues.

The young, tender flat bean pods are most often eaten and in some areas the foliage is consumed as greens similar to spinach. While you can enjoy the young shoots or the blooms as salad extras or edible garnishes, the mature or dried beans are toxic. However, soaking the seeds in water and then boiling the seeds in two changes of water, renders them edible.

Warning: Uncooked seeds are poisonous, with toxic levels of cyanogenic glucosides. They can cause vomiting, breathing problems and convulsions.

Growing Purple Hyacinth bean

• Soak the seeds for 6-8 hours or overnight in warm water to speed germination.
• Seeds can be sown directly outdoors once the threat of frost has passed or started indoors several weeks before the weather warms.
• Plant the seeds an inch and a half deep, firm the soil over them, and keep it well watered.
• Germination is in 7-10 days.
• Since the plant is a vine, similar to runner beans, it is best to provide some sort of support for the vine to climb onto, such as a trellis.
• At first, growth is gradual and mostly comprised of leaves. But as the weather warms up, hyacinth beans grow fast and furiously.
• Expect blooms from mid- to late summer.
• Pods will start forming about 90 days after planting.