Plant · P-245

Hyacinth Bean

Lablab purpureus

Hyacinth bean, sold under the cultivar name Rio Verde, is a Texas A&M-bred lablab selected specifically for warm-climate forage - a two-metre taproot lets it pull water long after shallower beans have stopped growing in July heat. Its hay rivals alfalfa in quality for cattle, goats and sheep, and the leaves are tannin-free, though the seed itself is poisonous raw and must be cooked thoroughly before anyone or anything eats it. Beyond forage, the young pods, immature seeds, leaves, flowers and a large starchy root are all edible once mature seed is properly cooked, and its roots leave a large amount of nitrogen behind in the soil. One catch: it is imported into the US mainly as deer forage, so any patch grown for harvest needs a fence.