Back
Photograph of Hyacinth bean
Photo: Wikipedia

Hyacinth bean

Lablab purpureus

  • Layer 7 · Climbers
  • Nitrogen fixer

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Native to tropical Africa, it is a vigorous annual climber with abundant flowering and purple pods. It effectively fixes atmospheric nitrogen and enriches the soil when integrated into the vertical layer of vegetable gardens and food forests.

It is harvested now — July is one of the harvest months.

See which trees the hyacinth bean grows well with

We have no trees recorded with this species yet. Start from the tree on your land.

See the central trees

No account needed.

Needs

  • Water: Medium
  • Light: Full sun
  • Size: Annual climber up to 5 m
  • Mature diameter: 1 m
  • Soils: Loam, Sandy, Clay
  • Climates: Hot, dry Mediterranean

Calendar

  1. January
  2. February
  3. March
  4. April — Planting
  5. May — Planting
  6. June
  7. July — Harvest
  8. August — Harvest
  9. September — Harvest
  10. October — Harvest
  11. November
  12. December
  • Harvest
  • Planting

Medicinal use: The young pods and seeds are edible only after prolonged cooking to neutralise toxic compounds.

Where to buy

Related plants

Other species in the same layer or with the same function.

It is harvested now — July is one of the harvest months.

See which trees the hyacinth bean grows well with

We have no trees recorded with this species yet. Start from the tree on your land.

See the central trees

No account needed.

Not ready to map your land yet?

Get the free mini-guide to starting an edible forest.

We use your email only for the guide and MyArbora news. Privacy policy