Egyptian bean, Purple lablab BIO - Lablab purpureus

A climber with purple flowers and glossy, deep-purple pods. Lablab, also known as hyacinth bean, is a fast-growing climbing plant in the legume family, native to Africa and South Asia. It is perennial in warm climates, but is grown as an annual here. During the season, its twining stems reach 2–3 m, and from July to September the plant is covered in pinkish-purple flowers, followed by glossy, deep-purple pods. It is both a decorative addition to a pergola and an interesting vegetable.

At a glance

• Growth habit: annual climber, 2–3 m
• Pods: deep purple, glossy, edible only when cooked
• Sowing under cover: April, after soaking the seeds
• Planting out: after May 15–20, preferably at the end of May
• Flowering: July–September
• Harvest: young pods from July to September
• Position: full sun, sheltered from the wind
• Difficulty: easy
• Seeds per packet: 10

What makes this variety special

Lablab is valued both as an ornamental and as a useful plant. Its purple pods contrast beautifully with the green leaves, while its long flowering period attracts bees and other pollinators. Like other legumes, it fixes nitrogen from the air through nodules on its roots, enriching the soil.

It grows best in warm conditions. In Poland, plant it against a south-facing wall, by a sunny fence, or in a greenhouse. In trials conducted by Semailles in Belgium, plants sown in early April and planted out at the end of May beside a warm wall flowered profusely from mid-July. In cooler climates, lablab mainly produces flowers and ornamental pods; mature seeds are easier to obtain in a greenhouse.

Growing step by step

Sowing (April, under cover): Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 12–24 hours to speed up germination. Sow one seed per 8–10 cm pot, about 2 cm deep, and keep at 20–22°C. Germination usually takes 10–15 days.

Hardening off: Since seeds are sown individually, there is no need to prick out the seedlings, avoiding damage to the roots. For 7–10 days before planting out, gradually acclimatise the plants to outdoor conditions by putting them outside on warm days.

Planting out (after May 15–20): Plant out after the last frosts, in a sunny, sheltered spot beside a support such as netting, a trellis, fence, or pergola. The soil should be fertile, deep, well-drained, and non-acidic. Plants need plenty of space; Semailles recommends spacing them about 100 × 100 cm apart.

Care: Water regularly, but do not overwater. Guide the shoots onto the support at the start of growth; they will climb on their own after that. Harvest the pods while young, before the seeds inside harden.

Uses

Lablab works well as a fast-growing green screen for a pergola, gazebo, or fence, and as an ornamental addition to the vegetable garden. Prepare young pods like green beans, always boiling them in water for 10–15 minutes. Flowers can be eaten raw or cooked; they have a slightly sweet flavour and make an attractive salad garnish. Important: mature seeds and pods are poisonous when raw—soak the seeds for a long time before eating, then boil for 30–45 minutes.

Gardener’s tip

About the producer

The seeds come from Semailles, a small-scale Belgian producer of organic seeds based in the province of Namur in Wallonia. Semailles offers only non-hybrid varieties (not F1), including many traditional and collector’s varieties. Some seeds are propagated in its own fields, and others in collaboration with organic growers in Belgium and France. All batches are certified organic (inspection code BE-BIO-01).

Specifications