Sheffield's Seed Company Page

The Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, also known as the Asparagus Pea, Four-angled Bean, Goa Bean, Manila Bean, Princess Pea, and Winged Bean, is a tropical legume that grows abundantly in hot, humid equatorial countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. It can also be grown as an annual in the north, and is best cultivated in humid tropics with high rainfall. The plant can be trained up a trellis or allowed to trail along the ground and is ready for harvesting in 60-75 days. Use the young pods before they mature for the best flavor. The pods taste similar to French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and can be harvested when around 15-20 cm long and 2cm wide. They can also be stored for up to 21 days, with yields averaging 250-500g per m². The plant is highly nutritious and can be eaten in various ways, including cooked or raw, such as roasted, fermented, used as tempeh, or cooked into soups. The leaves, young shoots, flowers, and roots of the plant are also edible and highly rich in protein, vitamin E, calcium, and other essential nutrients. Additionally, the winged bean is an underutilized species but has the potential to become a major multi-use food crop in the tropics of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.