BEAN ‘Red Winged’ Vegetable Seeds
Common name: Winged Bean
Scientific name: Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
Family: Fabaceae
Quantity: 5 grams
Winged bean is a perennial, vigorous tropical climber growing to 3 – 4 m with mauve-blue flowers and four-angled pods with wavy margins. The pods, leaves, flowers, and tubers are all edible. It is high in protein: the seeds contain 34% protein and 17% oil, while the root contains 20% protein. The young leaves (top three sets of leaflets on a shoot) are cooked and eaten. The flowers taste like sweetish mushrooms. It is among the world’s most effective nitrogen-fixers.
In a 100-gram portion of cooked winged beans, there is a protein content of 10.6 g.
- Also known as four-angled bean, goa bean, asparagus pea, and Manila bean.
- Edible leaves taste like spinach.
- Crunchy beans with an asparagus-like flavor.
- Beans can be eaten raw in salads. Lightly blanch beans or add to a stir fry.
- Hardy, vigorous, climbing vine growing up to 300 cm.
- Beans grow up to 30 cm in length. Tender flavor when harvested at approx. 15 cm.
- Use as a cover crop to fix nitrogen levels.
- Best grown in tropical, humid climates. Commonly grown in Southeast Asia.
- Unlikely to grow well in cooler climates.
- Grows in a wide range of soils. Requires moisture to thrive. Tolerates acidity.
Plant Type: Perennial climber, grown as an annual in cooler areas
Plant Height: 3 – 4 m
Sow When:
- Temperate: Late spring – early summer after the last frost
- Subtropical: September – December
- Tropical: Year-round in frost-free areas
- Cool: Late spring – early summer after the last frost
- Arid: Late spring – January
Germination: 10 – 14 days
Depth: 2 – 3 cm deep
Position: Full sun
Sow Where: Directly into garden beds or large containers; thin to strongest seedlings
Soil Type: Fertile, well-drained, pH 5.5 – 6.5
Rows: 100 – 150 cm apart
Spacing: 60 – 90 cm between plants
Details: Provide a sturdy trellis or support for the climbing vines. Keep well-watered and mulched to retain soil moisture. Winged beans are heavy feeders; regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer will encourage healthy growth and high yields. Harvest pods when young and tender, around 10 – 15 cm in length, for best flavor.
Harvest: 75 – 90 days
