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Fabaceae
Purple Hyacinth Bean
Lablab purpureus
Ambition and climbing higher.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Lablab
- Native to
- Tropical Africa
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- vine
- Height
- 10-20 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- fertile, well-drained
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 9-11
- Lifespan
- perennial (grown as annual)
Did you know
- Thomas Jefferson grew purple hyacinth bean at Monticello, where it still climbs the garden arbors today.
- The vibrant purple seed pods are as ornamental as the flowers and remain showy for weeks after blooming.
- It is one of the most important food legumes in tropical Africa and India, where all parts of the plant are eaten.
- Raw beans contain cyanogenic glucosides and must be thoroughly cooked before eating to remove the toxins.
- A single vine can grow up to 6 inches per day in warm weather, quickly covering trellises and fences.
Color meanings
0
ambition
1
growth
2
climbing toward goals