plant

Broad Bean

Vicia faba

Updated 9 Jun 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Broad Bean (Vicia faba) — a plant, for Full sun, Medium water. Companions: Cabbage, Tomato.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Watermoderate

↑ Gives back

Biomassmedium

Companions

Through the year

Emergence

Seeds germinate and emerge when soil temperatures reach 50C.

Flowering

Flowering is triggered by lengthening days and warm temperatures in late spring.

Fruiting

Pods begin to form approximately one month after flowering.

Harvest

Harvest occurs when pods are plump and beans are well-developed, typically in early to mid-summer.

Senescence

Plants begin to die back with the first autumn frosts.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingYes
MycorrhizalYes
Accumulatesnitrogen
Soil textureloam, clay
Organic matterMedium
Compaction toleranceLow

Propagation

Methodsseed
Difficulty1 / 5
Establishes in~0 yr
Self-seedingLight

Wildlife & pests

Attractsbees, hoverflies
Can host pestsblack bean aphid
Can host diseaseschocolate spot, rust