Wild Bushbean
Macroptilium lathyroides
- Native to:
- Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Navassa Island, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Uruguay, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
DouglasGoldman
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Macroptilium
- Species:
- Macroptilium lathyroides
- USDA Symbol:
- MALA9
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Vine
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple, red
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis), Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to tropical and subtropical regions, often found in disturbed areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Seeds may have high hard-seededness requiring mechanical or hot water treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI