'jack bean'

[hortusbrambonii]

I received a seed swap today with an extra that has no other name than 'heirloom jack bean' and turns out to be enormous reddish beans, and should grow to be very big (In a warm US climate that is I think).

I suppose that this is a Canavalia-species? Will there be a chance that it grows in Belgium, and if so, what can I do with it?

[hortusbrambonii]

Since it's a climber and the seeds are red I suppose it's Canavalia gladiata. Here's a picture of the seeds...

Attachments:

[robertb]

What size is the coin? It's very hard to judge if the currency's unfamiliar.

[hortusbrambonii]

The diameter of a coin of 2 euros should be 25.75 mm (slightly more than one inch for the non-metric crowd)

[hortusbrambonii]

No-one who can tell me more?

[raymondo]

I've never tried them. I've always assumed they were too 'tropical' for my garden.

[zeedman]

Well, I can tell you that Sword Bean is a long-season bean. I tried to grow it here in Wisconsin, started early as transplants, and kept in a greenhouse to extend the season as much as possible. They are very vigorous climbers, with large, fragrant flowers. Unfortunately, while I did get several pods, they were unable to mature before cold weather stopped their growth.

[12540dumont]

Bean, Jack —Canavalia ensiformis (L.) D.C.Bean, Sword —Canavalia gladiata (Jacq.) D.C.1



The jack bean and the sword bean are very similar and are occasionally grown in home gardens around the state. Other names for them are Chickasaw lima bean, Brazilian broad bean, coffee bean, ensiform bean, horse bean, mole bean, go-ta-ki, overlook bean, Pearson bean, watanka, and raba de burro.
DESCRIPTION

In both species, pods reach a length of 10 to 14 inches, and a width of 1 to 1½ inches. Seeds are large, ½ to ¾ inch long and nearly as broad. The two species differ mainly in the length of the seed hilum (scar). The hilum of sword bean (C. gladiata) is more than one-half the length of the seed, whereas that of the jack bean (C. ensiformis) is only about one-third as long as the seed. Most of the jack beans identified in Gainesville have been white with a black seed scar, while the sword beans have been red seeded.
CULTURE

There probably are many varietal and environmental variations in the growth habit of the plants; however, it appears that the jack bean plant is bushy in comparison with the vining nature of the sword bean plant. One North Florida gardener noted that one sword bean plant covered his entire garden of 400 square feet.
USE

Neither bean has commercial importance in this country. Both are reported to be edible in the young tender immature stage by slicing and boiling the tender pods, or peeling and using the seeds as broad beans. Also, reports have indicated the possibility of mild toxicity of beans when eaten in large quantities. Because of this, the boiling water should be drained off to remove any poisonous substances coming from the beans. Pharmaceutical companies have shown some interest in the beans as a possible source of the enzyme urease, and a few acres have been tried in Florida for that purpose.

[steev]

Strikes me as pretty funny that coin dimensions are so apropos; the world grows smaller, but not yet small enough to not need more explanation. I think it will not be so much longer before we have really forged a unified world, maybe F3 or F4 from now. I think it's our job to ensure that that doesn't mean only one kind of anything, but maximum diversity available to all, for the security of all.

[12540dumont]

So Steev, when are you going to be in charge?

[steev]

I never should have let slip the ultimate destination. I guess now it's just going to be "are we there yet?, are we there yet?", ad infinatum.