Purple Hyacinth Bean:
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| The purple hyacinth bean, one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorites |
I first saw the purple hyacinth bean when I visited Monticello with my best friend in the fall of 2007. This past spring, my brother, with whom I am always swapping seeds and garden talk, sent me home with a handful of beans to plant on the boys’ teepee. I’ve really enjoyed watching this vine grow. It is far more aggressive than the other pole beans, though it took longer to get started than the Turkey Craw bean. Most of my other vines are dying back now and the teepee is covered with bright purple pods. Raleigh friends, if you want me to save you some of this seed, let me know! It’s an excellent climber and is so pretty while in blossom.
4 Comments
Shady Gardener
This is a fun plant to grow, isn't it? I've not tried it (not enough sun), but my dad did last year and truly enjoyed it! 🙂
paige.puckett
It is fun! Sometimes it's nice to grow things just for show 🙂
The Conservationist
My purple hyacinth beans just now have their second set of leaves and are getting ready to climb up a bamboo teepee trellis! The purple hull beans are definitely showing more aggressive growth for right now. I have those beside my old picket fence, about to climb up twine secured to a nail in the picket and straightened by a rock tied to the bottom (wonder where I got that idea??) 🙂
lauranell
Love your photo. I'm a big fan of the purple hyacinth bean. Flowers, leaves, pods, even the beans themselves are beautiful. Mine seem happiest when they can climb, the higher the better!
Laura
http://lauranell.com