A neighbor of mine grows these vines/climbers and gave me the seeds this Spring (the seeds look like oreos). He calls it "Jackbean", but I found nothing similar to the seeds or plant online under Jackbean. It's nice, but I'd like to know what I've grown. Thanks in advance.
Hi, WTxDaddy. What you have is a Hyacinth Bean Vine. The beans are poisonous if eaten but the butterflies, bees and birds love it.
Thanks! Thank you so much! This is exactly what I've got. My brother-in-law told me about the neighbor's vines last year, then brought me seeds this year. I looked all over the Internet & found squat. Were you already familiar with it, (dumb question I reckon)? P.S. Where in North texas are you? I have a brother North of the MetroMess.
Yep, I don't have one this year mine didn't make it thru the drought last summer. After you spend some time with us and look at everyone's garden pictures you will find yourself identifying plants with very little problem, there is so much to learn here. Welcome to the Stew by the way, from north Texas. How about posting an intro of yourself in the Welcome to GardenStew forum so we can all get to know each other.
Spread the word I wanted to let y'all know, (yes, "y'all" - it's the second person plural in vernacular Texan) that I sent an e-mail to my gardening friends about the identification of the hyacinth bean vine, letting them know where & how it got identified! Thanks!
Hi Toni, Are you realy sure that hyacinth beans are poisonous? I grow two kinds of hyacinth beans, white and purpule, this year. I bought the seeds from an Asian vegetable seeds company and have taken it for granted that they are edible. They grow throughout much of Asia area as vegetables. Maybe they can cause allergic reactions to folks of Mediterranean origin? Or perhaps what I grow are a different type. I mean, are there any different species between the one for vegetables and the one for ornament? I collect young pods and stir and fry them with chili peppers. I was told by my mother that hyacinth beans are poisonous oly if you eat them raw AND the pods get older.
I do not know about the white but I raise the purple and mine got so heavy on my archway the high wind took it down.and I cut it off at the ground and unwound my Mandavilla and can't find another archway. More info here: http://www.evergreenseeds.com/haycinthbean.html Maybe this will help some nan.
