Hyacinth Bean Vine; Dolichos lablab: A striking, very fast growing annual vine. Large dark green, heart-shaped leaves with maroon veins. Tri-colored purple flowers on stalks and shiny, very dark maroon bean pods averaging about 7″ in length.
I grew Hyacinth Bean Vine for years and years and it was one of my favorite annual vines. We moved in 2000 and now our property is next to the county forest preserve and the Japanese Beetles just eat the Bean Vine to the ground. Sadyly, I can no longer grow Hyacinth Bean Vine and I miss it.
For May the theme for Click! is Beans ‘n Lentils. For this event I dug deep into my own Seed Bank and found some Hyacinth Beans. I love the black and white bean and I call them Tuxedo Beans. Hyacinth Beans are edible and were first grown in the US by Thomas Jefferson on his Monticello estate in Virginia.
The entries for Click! May Event, Beans n’ Lentils is posted here if anyone is interested.
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A co-worker JUST gave me some of these seeds to grow – because the plant is pretty, however. I wasn’t sure if the seeds were edible or not!
How pretty, they look like little cookies dipped in frosting
‘tuxedo beans’ is very evocative. thanks for yet another lovely entry.
What a lovely pic! I’ve never seen this bean before.