How to Grow and Care for Hyacinth Bean Vine

Annual, Dolichos Lablab

Hyacinth Bean Vine is a fast growing, flowering vine, with pretty purple flowers. If you're looking for an annual flowering vine that grows at a stellar pace, the Hyacinth Bean Vine is for you. It grows 10' - 15' in a single season!

Hyacinth Bean Vine is easy to grow. Flowers bloom from summer through fall in purple and some white colors. Butterflies are attracted to the bright blooms.

 As a flowering vine, it needs some type of support to climb. A trellis or fence works well. The support should be big enough to support ten to fifteen feet of vine growth.

Important Note:  Raw bean seeds are poisonous. They need to be boiled for a long time, to make them safe to eat. They are a food crop in some parts of the world.

Plant Height: 8 - 15 feet, not too bad for an annual!!

Other Names: Tobacco Vine

You can use the blooms and pods for cuttings, too.

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Plant Propagation:

Hyacinth Bean Vine are grown from seeds. Sow  Hyacinth Bean Vine seeds directly into your flower garden after all danger of frost has past. Plant seeds 1 1/2" deep. Final plant spacing should be six inches apart.

Seeds germination period requires two to three weeks. For indoor starts, try a seedling germination mat.

Tip: For more successful germination, soak seeds overnight, prior to planting.

Do not plant seeds until after the last frost date your area.  Plants are susceptible to frost.

Days to Germination: 14 - 21

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How to Grow Hyacinth Bean Vine:

Hyacinth Bean Vine is easy to grow. Grow in full sun. Plants prefer a rich, well draining soils to fuel their fast, season long growth. Mix a healthy dose of compost into the soil prior to planting.

Plants like a lot of water and nutrients. While they like lots of water, they do not like wet soil. Keep soil moist, not wet. Add fertilizer when planting and every month during the season. Use a high phosphorous formula just before the first blooming period.

Plants will begin to bloom in summer, and continue to do so into the fall. After the flowers bloom, purple pods will begin to form. They grow up to three inches. Raw beans inside are poisonous. Keep away from children and pets. Boiling beans for a long period cooks out the poison, and makes beans edible.

Plants are annuals that are very susceptible to frost. They may still be in bloom when frost arrives. Unfortunately, covering this long vine, may prove impractical.

Hyacinth Bean Vine are good "re-seeders". If the pods are allowed to open and pour out their beans, you will find many new plants next year. Do not disturb the soil until seedlings have begun to grow. Thinning will almost certainly be needed.

Flowers Bloom: Summer

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Insect and Disease:

Insect and disease problems are infrequent. Treat with insecticides, repellents or fungicide as needed.

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