How to Grow Hyacinth Bean

Dolichos Germination Information

Dolichos is the botanical name for Hycanith Bean
Dolichos Seed Germination How to Sow Dolichos:
  • Sow indoors at 70-72° at a depth four times the diameter of the seed
  • Seeds will germinate in 10 days
  • Can also be sown outdoors in spring after danger of frost
  • When sowing outside, sow at the same depth as sowing indoors
  • When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed

How to Grow Dolichos:
Spacing: Site in full sun in a normal, loamy, moist, well-drained soil

Transplanting: Transplant seedlings when there are at least two sets of true leaves

Additional Care: Time from seed sowing to bean production is 80 days

Appearance and Use:

This climbing vine to about 20 feet tall, grows like a pole bean and needs the support of staking, trellis, or arbor. It can also be grown in a basket from which it provides a long train of flowers and seed pods. The fragrant, 1/2- 1 inch, lavender, pea-like flowers borne in racemes strut-their-stuff all summer long and give-way to highly ornamental and edible seed pods. The 4-6 inch long pods are vibrant purple and can be eaten whole. Pods contain 3-6 beans. The 3- palmate leaves are dark green with red petioles. Each leaflet is ovate to triangular from 4-6 inches long


About Dolichos:
Pronunciation:  dol’i-kos lab’lab
Lifecycle:  Annual*
Origination: Fabaceae, native to Tropical Africa
Common Name: Hycanith Bean

*Grown as an annual but plants may overwinter in Zones 9 and 10