Hyacinth Bean Vine: A “One Size Fits Most” Plant

PUBLISHED ON May 4, 2023

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Truthfully, I laughed when I read an excerpt from historical gardening expert Peggy Cornett's book, "Jefferson's Vines of Summer: Beauties and Beasts," where she wrote, "Ask any of Monticello's gardeners and they will tell you that enough has been said about the Hyacinth Bean." Here I am, though, telling you more about it.

The vine's purple stems, leaf veins, flowers and seed pods place it firmly on my list of purple favorites in the garden.

Hyacinth bean goes by many names including Indian bean and Egyptian bean, which provide clues about its origin. Most of the Lablab purpureus plant is edible when prepared correctly, and it has been utilized as a food crop for centuries in Africa and Asia. It arrived in Europe by the early 1700s and gained popularity. Ever the plantsman, Thomas Jefferson is thought to have grown it in the early 1800s at Monticello.

In the United States, this plant has been primarily used ornamentally since the early 19th century. Climbing trellises or spreading along the ground, this vine is a fast-growing annual in much of the Southeast but can be hardy in zones 10 and 11. The shape of the seed pods and flowers indicate that it is in the Fabaceae family (also known as Leguminosae) and is nitrogen-fixing. In fact, it's a great cover crop because it provides nitrogen through fixation and leaf decay, and its extensive root system improves the soil's structure. Farmers may like this plant, too, because it can be used as forage for cattle and goats.

Purple hyacinth bean vine can be easily grown from seed after fear of frost has passed, in full sun and moist, well-draining soil. Protect young plants from deer and provide adequate support for the vines that can be up to 25 feet long. Flowers are white, blue, or purple, and the seed pods can range from white to red or even dark brown depending on the variety chosen. Seeds for purple flowering varieties are easily found in mail order catalogs and in seed displays at garden centers in early spring. Staking against a trellis or archway, similar to what has been displayed in our UT Gardens, Knoxville, Kitchen Garden, makes for a dramatic moment in any garden while also providing shade in the heat of summer. Look for purple hyacinth bean vine growing this summer at the UT Gardens, Knoxville. There, and in your own home landscape, you’ll be mesmerized by the buzz of bees and scent of the flowers in late summer through early fall should you choose to add this purple people pleaser to your garden.

The UT Gardens includes plant collections located in Knoxville, Crossville and Jackson, Tennessee. Designated as the official botanical garden for the State of Tennessee, the UT Gardens are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The Gardens’ mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, educational programs and research trials. The Gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public.

For questions or comments please contact: [email protected]

Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.

–Whitney Hale, UT Gardens

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The landscape can be dreary in January and February, so trees or shrubs that offer a bit of cheer with winter blooms can be a welcome addition to almost any yard or garden. Underused in the landscape, the Japanese cornel dogwood is just such a plant. In midwinter it defies the gloom […]

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Visionaries from across the Tennessee River Valley met on January 24 and 25 to discuss future endeavors for North America's next great regional trail system at the sixth annual Tennessee RiverLine Summit. Held at the Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge in Guntersville, Alabama, the summit attracted community leaders, planners, investors and outdoor […]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee is fortunate to have 14 native species of milkweed (Asclepias sp.). Most are easily grown from seed and can do well in landscape plantings. All are excellent plants for feeding our native pollinator insects. Butterflies, bees, beetles, flies, moths and a variety of wasp species obtain nectar from milkweed plants. Milkweeds […]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As a child, I was always fascinated with Lantana and its blooms. All those tiny individual florets forming one substantial flower cluster was a wonder to me. I used to pick the little flower heads apart and see how many single flowers I could get. The color of the flower head also […]

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Although soybean yields have been pretty good this year so far, the seed quality of harvested soybeans has not been great in some fields. Seed diseases have been prevalent in areas that have received a lot of rain since harvest season began. Phomopsis seed decay (usually caused by Diaporthe longicolla, formerly known […]