Common Name: Lima Bean

General Information

Phaseolus lunatus is an annual to herbaceous perennial climbing plant producing twining stems generally up to 4 metres long, though sometimes as much as 8 metres long, from a fibrous rootstock that can be somewhat fleshy. The much-branched stems scramble over the ground or twine into the surrounding vegetation or any provided supports[, ].
Lima bean is a very popular food crop, being used mainly for its seeds and immature seedpods. There are many different varieties of the plant, producing a wide range of beans, including the large, white 'butter bean'. The plant was already widely cultivated in the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans, who then spread it thoughout Africa, Asia etc. It is widely cultivated nowadays for its edible seed and seedpods in many tropical to warm temperate areas of the world[, ].

Known Hazards

The raw mature seed is poisonous. The toxic principle is hydrocyanic acid and this is destroyed by thoroughly cooking the seed[].

Botanical References

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Range

S. America. - Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama to northern Mexico

Habitat

Along stream banks and in moist arcas in deciduous tropical forests, usually in thickets and climbing over shrubs or small trees and often invading cut-over lands and along fences and paths; at elevations up to 1,600 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	4.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

Phaseolus lunatus generally grows well in lowland tropical areas at elevations up to 1,500 metres[]. An annual rainfall in the range 900 - 1,500 is adequate[], but once established the crop tolerates as little as 500 - 600 mm of rainfall[]. Plants are generally tolerant of heavy rainfall during the growing period, though heavy rain when they are flowering can adversely affect fertilization[]. A dry period is required for the seeds to mature[]. Temperatures higher than 30°c adversely affect fertilization, especially in forms that have large seeds[].
Requires a well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[]. Prefers a sandy loam[].. Plants are prone to drop their flowers when grown in nitrogen-rich soils[]. Found in the wild on a range of well-drained soils from black clay to brown friable to rocky and sandy (even on sand dunes near beaches) and variously derived from basalt, vokanic ash, limestone. metamorphic schists or volcanic rock[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7[], however some cultivars tolerate acid soils with a pH as low as 4.4[]. Some climbing forms are more drought resistant than bush forms due to their deep, well-developed root system[, ].
Plants can commence producing their edible seedpods in 12 - 16 weeks from seed[]. The pods can be harvested over a period of several months[].
Yields of 400 - 1,500 kilos per hectare of dried seed can be obtained[].
A very variable plant from which a wide range of cultivars have been developed[]. There are both bush and climbing forms as well as annual and perennial forms[]. The climbing plants are more productive but bush forms come into bearing more quickly and are probably more suitable for cooler gardens[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Immature seed - cooked[]. They need a lot less cooking than mature seeds and are eaten in a range of ways, such as like peas in soups and, stews etc, or boiled, fried or baked[, ].

The mature seed is dried and stored for future use. A rich source of protein, it must be thoroughly cooked before being eaten[]. Soaking the seeds for about 12 hours prior to cooking easily eliminates the apparent toxicity[, ]. The cooked seeds are eaten in soups, stews or fermented and made into tempeh[]. The sprouted seeds are cooked and used in Chinese dishes[]. The dried seed can be ground into a powder then used as a thickener in soups or can be mixed with cereal flours when making bread. The obovoid seeds are 8 - 11mm long, 6 - 7mm wide and up to 4mm deep[].

Young seedpods - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[]. They can be steamed and used as a side dish with rice, or added to soups, stews etc[]. The pods are 5 - 12cm long and 15 - 25mm wide[].

Leaves - cooked[]. They often have a bitter taste[].

Medicinal

In traditional Asian medicine the seeds and leaves are valued for their astringent qualities and are used in the diet as a treatment against fever[, ].
The seeds are powdered and rubbed into small cuts on tumours and abscesses to promote suppuration[].

The leaf juice, mixed with coconut oil or castor oil, is given to children to improve their strength; as a treatment for fever and as an emetic[].

Agroforestry Uses:

In the more humid tropics, Lima bean is mostly cultivated in home gardens or intercropped with cereals (maize, sorghum), root and tuber crops (yam, cassava) or other crops (e.g. banana, groundnut, sugar cane). Sole cropping is more common in drier areas (Madagascar, Peru). In intercropping, seeds are often placed in the same hill as the companion crop[].
Lima bean has been grown as a cover crop and for green manure[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in situ about 1 - 3cm deep during the late part of the wet season[]. Germination should take place within 10 days. Seed will not germinate at temperatures below 16°c[].

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