Broad Bean.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Annual vegetable

Light

Full sun

Indoor light

Direct sun

Water

Every 5 to 7 days

Mature size

3 to 4 feet

Growth rate

Fast

Hardiness

USDA 7 to 10

Bloom time

Late winter to late spring

Care

Plant these in well-draining soil and keep the area weed-free as they establish. Watch for aphids on the tender new growth during the spring. Provide support for taller varieties to keep the heavy pods off the ground.

Watering

Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged during the flowering and pod-filling stages.

Feeding

Apply a balanced organic fertilizer once when the plants start to flower.

Pruning

Pinch off the growing tips once the first pods have set to encourage energy into the beans.

Repotting

These are annuals and are typically grown directly in the garden soil.

Soil

Loamy, fertile soil

Soil pH

6.0 to 7.5

Temperature

-10 to 25°C

Humidity

40 to 70%

Drought tolerance

Moderate

Lifespan

Annual, typically 6 to 9 months

Fragrance

Light

Deer and rabbits

Moderate

Safety

People

The plant is generally safe to eat when cooked, but the beans, whether raw or cooked, contain compounds that can cause a serious reaction called favism in people with a specific genetic enzyme deficiency (G6PD deficiency), who should avoid them entirely.

Children

The large, smooth seeds can be a choking hazard for small children if left unattended.

Contact allergens

Handling the foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Airborne allergens

Pollen from the flowers can trigger seasonal allergies in some people.

Edibility

Raw fava beans can cause severe illness in individuals with G6PD deficiency, a condition known as favism.

How to identify it

• Sturdy upright square stems
• Compound leaves with oval leaflets
• White flowers with black spots
• Large green edible pods

Height

0.3 to 1.2m

Spread

0.2 to 0.45m

Leaves

green, blue-green, deciduous

Flowers

white, black, 2 to 3cm

Fruit

green, Late spring to early summer

Problems to watch for

• AphidsCommon
• Chocolate SpotCommon
• Slugs and SnailsCommon
• Root RotUncommon
• RustUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

fall, late winter, early spring

Overwintering

In mild climates, they can remain in the garden through winter. In colder areas, provide a light mulch to protect the roots from deep freezes.

In containers

They grow well in large containers, provided the pot is at least 30 centimeters deep.

Plant fava beans alongside leafy greens to make the most of your garden space while enriching the soil.

Grows well with

• Lettuce · They grow well together as fava beans provide light shade.
• Potatoes · They are traditional companions that do not compete for the same soil nutrients.

Keep away from

• Onions · Onions may inhibit the growth of legumes when planted in close proximity.

Similar species

• Sweet Pea · They share a similar growth habit and legume family characteristics.

Science

Family

Fabaceae

Genus

Vicia

Order

Fabales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Mediterranean and Southwest Asia

Conservation

This species is widely cultivated and not of conservation concern.

It thrives in cool, moist conditions and improves soil fertility through symbiotic nitrogen fixation.

Value to wildlife

nectar source

Pollinators

bees

Uses

culinary vegetable, cover crop, nitrogen fixer

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

When should I plant fava beans?

Plant them in the fall for a late spring harvest or in late winter for an early summer harvest.

Do I need to stake them?

Taller varieties often benefit from support to keep them upright.

Where the name comes from

Vicia is the classical Latin name for vetch, while faba simply means bean in Latin.

Good to know

• Fava beans are one of the oldest domesticated crops in the world.
• They are excellent at fixing nitrogen in the soil.
• The flowers have a lovely, subtle fragrance.