Vicia faba

RHS Plant Profile
broad bean

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broad bean RHS

Other common names

English bean, European bean, field bean, horse bean, straight bean

Plants for pollinators
Annual Biennial
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An annual producing two to four, square-sectioned, upright stems, 0.4 to 1.2m tall, clothed with oblong, blue-green leaves. Clusters of scented, tubular, black and white or dark red flowers are produced all the way up the stem, followed by pods 15 to 30cm long, usually picked when green, turning black when fully mature

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Vicia are annuals, herbaceous perennials or climbers; leaves may be simple or divided into many small leaflets, often ending in a tendril. The yellow, purple, white or pink, pea-like flowers are produced in small clusters on the stem or in larger, upright sprays
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Does best in a sunny, sheltered position with fertile, moist but well drained soil, though most soils will produce an adequate crop. In milder areas, hardier varieties may be sown in autumn to crop in late spring. Otherwise sow successionally from mid-spring to crop from early summer to early autumn. Tall varieties may need staking, dwarf ones can be grown in containers. See broad-bean cultivation for further advice. May also be grown as green manure; see our video How to grow and sow green manure for advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Picking off the tips of the shoots can reduce and delay infestation by black bean aphid, and also improve the yield of beans

Pests

May be susceptible to broad bean seed beetle, pea and bean weevil and blackfly (black aphid)

Diseases

May be susceptible to Broad bean rust and Broad bean chocolate spot