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Hyacinth Bean

Annual Flower, Vine

Also known as Egyptian Bean, Indian Bean, Lablab
Lablab purpureus
Fabaceae Family
Synonym: Dolichos lablab, Dolichos purpureus

Hyacinth Bean provides both privacy and beauty, growing quickly to form dense screens of colorful foliage covered with fragrant purple blooms and equally showy purple pods.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun

Soil conditions:

requires well-drained soil

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

Height: 10 to 20 feet

If grown on a trellis.

Spread: 10 to 20 feet

If allowed to spread over the ground.

Bloom time:

mid-summer
late summer
early fall

Flower color:

violet
white

Sweet-pea-like.

Foliage color:

dark green
other

Leaves have dark green upper surfaces and purple undersides.

Foliage texture: coarse

Shape in flower: same as above

Special Considerations

Special characteristics:

non-aggressive
non-invasive
not native to North America - Tropical Africa
fragrant
bears ornamental fruit - The flowers are followed by showy, pendulous purple seed pods.

Special uses:

edible landscaping - All of the plant parts are edible.
direct-seeding

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by seed - Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before last spring frost. Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing.

Maintenance and care:

Train on trellis or other support. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, as these will inhibit flowering.
Plants grow well on some sites but not others. If at first you don't succeed, keep trying. It's a show-stopper when it thrives.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals