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Plants

jack bean

Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Canavalia

horse bean, sword bean

Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer
no rights reserved · CC0 · iNaturalist

Annual nitrogen-fixing legume with strong soil-decompacting and weed-suppressing ability. Explicitly cited by Pasini among Accumulation-system species — listed in Tabela 3 in the low stratum of sucessional agroforests.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Dolichos ensiformis L., Canavalia ensiformis var. albida DC., Malocchia ensiformis (L.) Savi

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta I
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Low
Strata
Low, Ground cover
Biomass class
Fertilizer biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
Moderate
Soil pH range
4.3–8
Preferred soil texture
Sandy, Loamy, Clayey
Frost tolerance
0.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
0.5–1.5 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Very fast
Lifespan
≤ 1 year
Time to first harvest
3 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Jack bean takes the Low stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.

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Emergent High Medium Low · ≈2 m Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Direct-sow at the onset of the rains (Oct–Nov in Brazil) at ~100–120 kg/ha, 2–3 cm deep in ~0.5 m rows; germinates fast (~72 h) and smothers weeds (notably suppresses purple nutsedge). The deep taproot makes it markedly drought-hardy; nodulates (Bradyrhizobium). For green manure cut/roll and incorporate at or shortly after flowering (~90–120 days) at peak biomass. Rotate >2 yr where root-knot nematode is present (a susceptible host).

✂️ Management & Pruning

Annual green-manure crop — managed by cutting/rolling and incorporation after flowering; it does not resprout.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March

Fruiting months: February, March, April, May

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of jack bean?

The first harvest of jack bean comes around 3 months after planting.

How tall does jack bean grow?

At maturity, jack bean reaches 0.5–1.5 m tall.

When does jack bean fruit?

Fruiting of jack bean occurs in February, March, April, May.

When does jack bean flower?

Flowering of jack bean occurs in January, February, March.

What stage and stratum does jack bean occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, jack bean belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the low stratum.

Does jack bean fix nitrogen?

Yes — jack bean is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.

Functions

🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🌿 Biomass producer Ground cover Soil decompactor 🐝 Attracts pollinators

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Conceitos e princípios práticos da agrofloresta sucessional, Tabela 3 (Incaper) , p. 116 (primary_stratum)
  2. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Sistema de Acumulação , p. 117 (gotsch_stage, biomass_class, nitrogen_fixer)
  3. Useful Tropical Plants — Canavalia ensiformis (ph_min, ph_max, root_system, root_depth, time_to_first_harvest_months, soil_texture_preference, cultivation_notes, synonyms, frost_tolerance_c)
  4. Feedipedia — Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) (nitrogen_fixer, waterlogging_tolerance, root_system, cultivation_notes, pruning_notes)
  5. EMBRAPA — Feijão-de-porco: leguminosa para adubação verde (soil_texture_preference, cultivation_notes)
  6. Aegro / EMBRAPA — Feijão-de-porco: manejo e fenologia no Brasil (derivado do ciclo) (phenology)

External references

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