How to Grow and Care for Broad bean

Broad bean, also known as Broad bean, Field bean, Faba bean, Horse bean

Broad bean is a hardy and robust legume, often associated with a relatively easy care profile. Key care points include ensuring full sunlight and providing adequate water, especially during flowering and pod development. Special care should be taken to support the plants as they grow, using trellises or stakes to prevent stems from bending or breaking under the weight of the pods.

Watering schedule: Every week

Sunlight Requirements: Full sun

Toxic to Humans

In This Article

Planting and Growing Broad bean

Toughness	Medium
Care Level	Medium
Care Difficulty	Easy
Lifespan	Annual, Biennial
Watering Schedule	Every week
Sunlight Requirements	Full sun
Soil Type	Garden Soil
Soil pH	6-7.5
Planting Time	Early spring, Mid spring, Mid fall, Late fall
Hardiness Zones	4-8
Toxicity	Toxic to Humans

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Varieties of Broad bean

Fava bean 'Imperial Green Longpod'

Fava bean 'Imperial Green Longpod', a cultivar of Faba bean, is named for its unusually long pods which yield up to nine beans. This highly prized cultivar has a particularly high yield because of these long pods and received the Order of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Fava bean 'Masterpiece Green Longpod'

Fava bean 'Masterpiece Green Longpod' is a Fava bean with a particularly long pod that consistently produces six or seven plump beans. The parent plant’s pods are shorter and produce fewer beans than this hybrid. Fava bean 'Masterpiece Green Longpod' was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society "Award Of Special Garden Merit".

Fava bean 'Crimson Flowered'

Fava bean 'Crimson Flowered' is a variety of fava bean with deep crimson-colored flowers that stand in marked contrast to the signature white flowers of its parent plant. The plant grows to 1.2 m and was first cultivated in the nineteenth century.

Fava bean 'Suprifin'

Fava bean 'Suprifin' is a robust legume variety showcasing broad, glossy green leaves and stout stems. It produces dense clusters of aromatic, white flowers, leading to the development of thick, elongated pods containing plump, tender beans. Thriving in cooler climates, fava bean 'Suprifin' benefits from nitrogen-fixing abilities, enriching soil fertility and promoting healthy growth in garden ecosystems.

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The Toxicity of Broad bean

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More General Info About Broad bean

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Quickly Identify Broad bean

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Broad bean is an identifiable annual legume sporting stout, upright stems that can reach a height of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters). The leaves are pinnate with 2 to 6 pairs of leaflets and terminate in a tendril. It produces distinct, zygomorphic flowers that are white with black markings and result in thick, leathery pods ranging from 3 to 8 inches (8 to 20 cm) long, each encasing several round to oval seeds.