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Growing Practices:

Latin Name: Mucuna pruriens

Days to Maturity: 90+

Description:

I grow these for soil remediation, to suppress weeds, and for food. They also produce a high-quality forage for animals. This variety is a non-itch type with at least two seed phenotypes, one being white and the other mottled dark brown/black. I am unsure if they are photoperiod-sensitive or temperature-sensitive. They have been known to flower in late spring when the nights are still cool if planted early, but typically do not flower all summer until late September. I eat the filled green pods in late summer by boiling them whole for 15 minutes, taking out the seeds, and removing the outer transparent hull. Serve salted or with tamari, and they are delicious, similar to a fava bean. Care must be taken in cooking and consumption due to the high concentration of L-dopa.

Story of this Seed:

I received these seeds from two different sources nearly a decade ago. The first source was from a local farmer, and the other was from another seller on Seedwise. The latter source no longer sells here. I seem to remember there always being a pure white bean and a bean that was mottled. I believe they have crossed into each other a bit because I see more color variations. Some beans are mostly white with a shadow of the mottled pattern, and a very few beans are nearly completely dark brown.

Growing Tips:

Soaking seeds beforehand for two days can help with quicker germination but is not necessary. Drought tolerant but grows explosively with rain. Tolerates a wide range of soils.