| Description |
The Mung Bean is a warm-season annual vine in the legume (Fabaceae) family that is native to India. It is sprouted or grown as a mature plant for it's beans. Mature plants produce clusters of 7-10cm long, yellowish-brown to black pods with 10-15 seeds per pod. Seeds can be green, yellow, brown, or mottled black, and are high in protein, calcium, phosphorus, and other vitamins. Mung Bean plants resemble other bean plants, with yellow flowers and slightly smaller leaves than soy beans. They are self-pollinating and need 90-120 frost-free days. Beans benefit from being pre-soaked and inoculated with nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria before planting. Entire plants can be harvested once 60% of the bean pods are mature, and hung upside down in a shed to dry. Mung Beans can also be grown as a green manure (because of their nitrogen-fixing properties) and as animal forage.
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