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 kitchen gardens and food forests.

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

See which trees hyacinth bean grows well with

These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.

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

January
February
March
April — Planting
May — Planting
June
July — Harvest
August — Harvest
September — Harvest
October — Harvest
November
December

Harvest
Planting

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

Where to buy

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.