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Annual Biennial

Vicia faba

broad bean

An annual producing two to four, square-sectioned, upright stems, 0.4 to 1.2m tall, clothed with oblong, blue-green leaves. Clusters of scented, tubular, black and white or dark red flowers are produced all the way up the stem, followed by pods 15 to 30cm long, usually picked when green, turning black when fully mature

Other common names

English bean
European bean
see morefield bean
horse bean
straight bean

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Vicia are annuals, herbaceous perennials or climbers; leaves may be simple or divided into many small leaflets, often ending in a tendril. The yellow, purple, white or pink, pea-like flowers are produced in small clusters on the stem or in larger, upright sprays
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Does best in a sunny, sheltered position with fertile, moist but well drained soil, though most soils will produce an adequate crop. In milder areas, hardier varieties may be sown in autumn to crop in late spring. Otherwise sow successionally from mid-spring to crop from early summer to early autumn. Tall varieties may need staking, dwarf ones can be grown in containers. See broad-bean cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Picking off the tips of the shoots can reduce and delay infestation by black bean aphid, and also improve the yield of beans

Pests

May be susceptible to broad bean seed beetle, pea and bean weevil and blackfly (black aphid)

Diseases

May be susceptible to Broad bean rust and Broad bean chocolate spot

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