2019 Little Easy Bean Network - Come And Reawaken The Thrill Of Discovery

[flowerbug]

That's true, but you have to be careful not to eat overripe ones, since purple podded lablabs tend to be dark seeded, and most dark seeded lablabs are toxic when mature.

is it just the seeds that are toxic?

 

[Pulsegleaner]

As far as I know. Though by the time the seeds are ripe the pods would be pretty fibrous and dry, so probably not good to eat anyway.

But bear in mind I don't grow a lot of lablabs (most of them are too long season for me) so I am going by a mix of what I have read and what I think I have worked out. I would guess that, when the seed is unripe its toxicity is low to minimal. If you are eating the beans when they are fairly flat as snap beans(like most people in India do, based on what I see at their grocery stores), you're fine. If they are getting bumpy (or for some reason you are trying to make them as shelly beans) split the pod and check the color of the seeds. If they are still green, you're good. If they are turning purple (that's what the black actually is, dark purple) you might want to discard that one. If you are trying to get a lablab you can use for a dry bean, get a green podded, white seeded one, or learn how to leach the seed before you eat it.

Though you may not have all that much choice in variety. Based on where you are, you probably have conditions like mine and the vast majority of lablabs will be too long season for you. Ruby Moon will work, and I assume @Zeedman 's bush one works too (since he is also on the same line). But the white kind you can buy bags of in Indian Grocery stores won't (don't know about the ones sold as vegetables, I HAVE collected seed from overripe pods, but lablabs don't have great germination if the seed is even a little unripe.)

 

[flowerbug]

@Pulsegleaner i've only grown them as an ornamental and with the way things are going here i don't expect to grow them again, but i do have some old seeds and i wouldn't want to give them to someone without knowing a bit more about them.

i did grow them here once before and i think i had a few seeds from them.

 

[Zeedman]

I would guess that, when the seed is unripe its toxicity is low to minimal. If you are eating the beans when they are fairly flat as snap beans(like most people in India do, based on what I see at their grocery stores), you're fine.

That is the only way I've eaten them, and the way DW says they usually eat them in the Philippines. I know the mature beans are eaten in other cultures (as are sword beans and jack beans, which are also toxic), but without knowing the proper way to prepare them, I wouldn't risk it.

Given their similarity to snow peas when immature, I'd consider calling them "snow beans"... but that would be inappropriate, given that the places where they are commonly grown never see snow. IMO really not worth growing in the temperate climes, except for their flowers, or as a curiosity. They thrive in tropical climates too hot for common beans, though, and have a fairly similar flavor.

Besides the bush lablab that I grow, there is another bush variety from India (surti papdi bean Khyati) grown primarily for its seeds. Supposedly, it too is day-neutral, so it should produce seed in my latitude. Hopefully I'll be able to trial it next year... but I'll inquire about proper preparation before attempting to eat them. The local Indian grocery should be helpful.

Some years back, I was reading an article about the hyacinth bean breeding program in India. The varieties bred for bush habit turned out to be day neutral, which apparently was just a fortunate accident.

 

[Decoy1]

Saw these on a website but they won't ship to US. View attachment 32448 View attachment 32447

I’m just catching up on posts so a bit behind the times.
I got these from Beans and Herbs and I’m growing them this year. I can give seed but reading on I think Russ has it covered. Let me know if you’d still like some.
I’ll report on growth when I get out there.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I’m just catching up on posts so a bit behind the times.
I got these from Beans and Herbs and I’m growing them this year. I can give seed but reading on I think Russ has it covered. Let me know if you’d still like some.
I’ll report on growth when I get out there.

BeanQueen has got both of the beans from Beans & Herbs that we were interested in. She is going to send some to me in the autumn.

Thank you for the offer.

 

[BeanQueen]

I see hummingbirds every day on the red flowered Ugandan Bantu Outcross! Definitely has runner parentage because it drops flowers in hot weather like a hot potato

 

[BeanQueen]

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wow! That is an eye-catching display.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I thought something like that too. Very lovely looking beans. Pretty, Pretty.