Oxeye Bean
Mucuna urens
- Native to:
- Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Windward Is.
Dick Culbert (www.flickr.com) from Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Mucuna
- Species:
- Mucuna urens
- USDA Symbol:
- MUUR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Vine
- Height:
- 1500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, green, yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bats, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers organic matter-rich environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification (mechanical abrasion or hot water treatment) for successful germination. Soak seeds 24 hours after scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI