Introducing the Hunan Winged Bean

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CULTIVATION

Of the varieties developed by Chinese gardeners, the ‘Hunan’ winged bean is credited for making cultivation possible in North America. Most winged beans grown in the United States are raised in south Florida and planted for winter cropping, because the plants do not flower unless the day length is short. ‘Hunan,’ however, can be grown anywhere with at least two months of warm nighttime temperatures (70 degrees or more). It will begin to flower in the latter part of the summer and then crop heavily in September until frost.

Winged beans are sensitive to cold, so even in the high 30s they will begin to look sad and yellow. A frost cover can help push production into the late season, but chilly weather makes the flowers drop, so fighting frost may not be worth the trouble.

One thing that makes winged beans special in spite of their finicky reaction to day length and temperature: they resist most pests and diseases, so they are a great boon to organic growers. They are just about as carefree as cowpeas, and that means one less worry in the garden.

Treat winged beans like pole beans, allowing the vines to run up to 10 feet long, supported by a sturdy trellis (when loaded with pods, the vines are heavy). My recommendation is to plant them in rows or hills as early as you can — I force mine in pots so they already have a head start when I plant them out along with my tomatoes. The seeds do not germinate easily, so it’s best to soak them overnight and pick out the ones that swell. They like rich, loamy soil, but also are excellent as a soil-nitrifying legume. So you can use them to build up your soil, and the vines make nutrient-rich compost.

Each seed only produces one vine, which grows like Jack-in-the-Beanstalk unless pruned. Several growers have told me they prune the vines after about the 12th leaf appears. This causes the vines to send out as many as six side shoots, much like a grapevine, so you get a huge increase in pod production. A large pod harvest is most important for those of us who do not live in tropical climates, because frost is likely to ruin any chance of enjoying the tubers. (Although it’s now possible to find these tubers in Asian markets.) Boil, steam, bake or fry them thoroughly prior to eating.

(If you have experience growing winged beans, please share what you’ve learned by posting a comment to this article below. — Mother)

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