I remember the first time I saw a hyacinth bean in full bloom. I was visiting my mom in McKinney. She lived in a nice neighborhood and there, draped over an iron fence, was this beautiful mass of dark green leaves and purple flowers. The flowers were reminiscent of Sweet Peas. I was intrigued. A quick photo and Google Lens search told me it was a Hyacinth Bean. Each time I returned to visit Mom, I would pay special attention to the corner house with the beautiful purple vine.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who admired it. When winter came, the homeowner hung baggies of purple pods on the fence where the vine had been. It seemed like an invitation to grow your own, so I stopped and helped myself to a bag. I couldn’t wait until spring to start my seeds.
In my first year, I filled several quart pots with soil and planted about 5 seeds each as soon as the danger of frost was past. I waited and waited. They finally peeked their heads up about mid-June. Hyacinth beans like it HOT. Good to know!
I planted them on the dog run fence in my backyard and on my mailbox on the street. Both locations were sunny. The fence gave enough support for a nice-sized plant. I had to add support to the mailbox location. These vines like sun, need support, and are not water hogs, but they do need a drink several times a week when it’s hot in order to stay lush.
The next year, my son planted vines around a Yaupon holly tree in our front yard. That location did well too. It was fun to see the purple flowers up in the tree where you didn’t expect them.
I think one of my favorite things about these vines is the way they just die back when it gets cold. They won’t make it to Thanksgiving. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about them taking over your house or porch. First sign of winter, and they are out of here, leaving you lots of purple pods with seeds for next year. Also, I have never seen them volunteer to come up where they were last planted. Either the pods are too tasty to animals, or the seeds can’t take freezing temperatures in winter. The experts say it can happen, maybe farther south.
So, what’s not to love? A beautiful vine that thrives in the heat, has pretty flowers in the summer, attractive seed pods in the fall, and striking seeds, yet not demanding. You don’t even have to dead head them!
by Kim Rainey, ECMG