Bean, Broad, Favabean or Fava

Leguminosae Vicia faba L.

This type of bean is very important as a cool-season crop in Mediterranean areas and in cool regions of Europe, but is grown to only a limited extent in the U.S. Plants are erect annuals reaching 2 to 4 feet and very leafy. Pods are large and thick, 2 inches up to a foot or more in length. Seeds are large and flat. They are used as green-shell, the seeds removed from the pod before maturity, or as dry beans. They are also used as feed for livestock.

Production in U.S.: No data; very limited.

Use: Cooked vegetables and stock feed.

Part of plant consumed: Seeds for food; immature pods as snap-beans and whole plant for feed.