Jack bean

Where does Jack bean grow?

Found in: Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marianas, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are about 50 Canavalia species. Chemical composition (acid content) (Nigerian sample): oil = 1%; component esters (wt. %): 16:0 = 17%. 16:1 = 2%. 18:0 = 2%. 18:1 = 49%, 18:2 = 18%. 18:3 = 7%. 20:0 = 1%. 22:0 = 1%. 24:0 = 2%. Reported to have a high Threonine value.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is being accepted and grown in some coastal and mid altitude areas in Papua New Guinea. Pods are sold in local markets.

Growing Jack bean

Cultivation: It is grown from seeds. Seeds need to be 2 cm deep. A spacing of about 60 cm is suitable. Plants preferably need a support to climb over. It benefits from a fertile soil but adding nitrogen depresses yield.

Edible Uses: The leaves and top shoots are eaten. The very young pods are boiled and eaten. The flowers can be eaten. The young seeds are eaten boiled, roasted, or peeled and cooked. The seeds are also fermented. The ripe seeds are roasted and used as a coffee substitute. CAUTION The ripe seeds can contain poison and need to be well cooked and the water changed before eating. They are also often left under running water or fermented.

Production: Green pods are produced in 3-4 months, but ripe seeds need 6-9 months. Yield of seeds can range from 700 to 5,400 kg / ha.

Nutrition Info

Jack bean Photos

References

Jack bean references

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