Fava Beans

Growing Conditions

Growing Zones

Thrives in USDA Zones 3 - 10

Companion Planting

When to Plant

• Direct Sow

  6 - 8 weeks before last frost; as soon as soil is workable; or in autumn for overwintering in zones 7+

• Harvest

  75 - 90 days; harvest when pods are plump and beans are firm but not dried

Organic Growing Tips

• Pinch out growing tips as soon as the lowest flowers open - this concentrates energy into pod development and removes tender new growth that aphids prefer.

• Sow borage nearby; it deters black bean aphids and attracts beneficial insects.

• Allow a few plants to dry fully on the stem for dry beans and future planting seed.

• After harvest, cut plants at the base and compost the tops; leave roots in the soil to release fixed nitrogen.

Common Pests

• Black Bean Aphid
• Chocolate Spot
• Pea and Bean Weevil
• Bruchid Beetle

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Family

Legume family (Fabaceae)

Genus

Vicia

Species

faba

Natural History

Vicia faba is one of the oldest cultivated plants in human history. Seeds have been recovered from Neolithic sites across the Near East and Mediterranean dating to 6,000 - 8,000 BCE, and archaeological finds from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Israel confirm their central role in early agriculture. They are one of the eight Neolithic founder crops that formed the nutritional basis of early Old World farming societies. In classical Greek culture, favas had a remarkable dual role: they were a staple food and simultaneously associated with death and the souls of the dead, which led the Pythagoreans to prohibit their consumption entirely. This prohibition was so serious that Pythagoras himself reportedly refused to flee an assassin across a fava field, choosing death over trampling the plants. Favas were the principal legume of Europe until Phaseolus species from the Americas arrived after 1492, when common beans rapidly displaced them in much of European gardening. In the 20th century, favism - a potentially serious hemolytic reaction in people with G6PD deficiency, a common inherited condition in Mediterranean and African populations - was connected to fava bean consumption.

Morphology (Plant Structure & Identification)

• Root System

  Deep taproot with fibrous lateral roots bearing nitrogen-fixing nodules; one of the most effective nitrogen fixers among annual legumes.

• Stem

  Hollow, square-sectioned, upright stems 2 - 5 feet tall depending on variety; self-supporting when short, needing staking in tall forms.

• Leaves

  Pinnate leaves with 2 - 6 large, waxy oval leaflets; blue-green in color; distinctive among legumes for their lack of tendrils.

• Flowers

  White flowers with dark purple-black wing spots; highly attractive to bumblebees, which must force the flower open to access nectar.

• Fruit

  Large, fleshy pods 4 - 8 inches long containing 2 - 8 large flat cream-colored beans with a pale scar; inner pod lining is spongy white.

Known Varieties

Common cultivars worth knowing

• Aguadulce

  Large-podded traditional Spanish variety; extremely cold-hardy and suitable for autumn sowing; very long pods with up to 8 beans.

  Best for: autumn planting, overwintering, long pods

• Windsor

  Classic English broad bean with large flat seeds and rich flavor; widely grown in home gardens for centuries.

  Best for: fresh eating, British kitchen garden tradition

• Crimson Flowered

  Heirloom variety with ornamental red flowers; seeds slightly smaller than Windsor but flavorful; historic cultivar rescued from near-extinction.

  Best for: ornamental use, heritage gardens

• The Sutton

  Compact dwarf variety reaching only 12 inches; no staking needed; ideal for small gardens and exposed sites.

  Best for: small spaces, windy sites, containers