NOTE: Purple hyacinth bean may be referred to as Lablab purpureus in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Lablab purpureus is the botanical name for Purple hyacinth bean.
The purple hyacinth bean is a vining annual that is usually grown for its flowers. This garden inclusion is eye-catching because of the shades of purple that decorate the leaves, stems, flowers, and showy seedpods. A popular choice for those needing a quick cover over an arbor or as a foundation planting is the purple hyacinth bean.
The plant has bright green leaves with purple veining and is growing in three leaflets. The flowers are similar to sweet peas, but without the scent, which can be seen in loose clusters of pale purple and white in the late summer. The glossy purplepods look like snow peas after the blooms drop.
Why does my Lablab purpureus roots have rot?
Root rot on your Purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
Why does my Purple hyacinth bean have gray mold spots?
A particular fungus known as gray mold spots spreads quickly and frequently damages flowers. This fungus is probably to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. If you disregard these warning signs, your plant could die.
Our Solution
When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Lablab purpureus being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.
Why does my Purple hyacinth bean have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Purple hyacinth bean, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my Purple hyacinth bean leaves turning yellow?
In the world of horticulture, yellowing leaves are undoubtedly the most common problem. The two main causes of this problem are overwatering and a lack of nutrition.
Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:
Here are some indicators of yellowing on the Lablab purpureus brought on by its numerous flaws:
- Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn yellow last.
- Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
- Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
- Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.
Is my Purple hyacinth bean sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Purple hyacinth bean (your Lablab purpureus) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
The leaves of your Purple hyacinth bean can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.
However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.
Why are my Purple hyacinth bean leaves turning brown?
Most of the time, leaves of a Purple hyacinth bean that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.
Should I leave my Lablab purpureus in direct sunlight?
No! If your Lablab purpureus (or Purple hyacinth bean) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Purple hyacinth bean is in such a state!
Our Solution
As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Purple hyacinth bean so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.
Why are my Lablab purpureus leaves drooping or wilting ?
This typically occurs when your Lablab purpureus gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.
You may quickly determine if your Lablab purpureus plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.
Our Solution
If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Purple hyacinth bean right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.
This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Lablab purpureus
Water Occasionally
Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Lablab purpureus.
The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Lablab purpureus is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Lablab purpureus close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Purple hyacinth bean Dust-Free
This one relates to indoor plants. Just like your furniture, dust collects on the leaves of your indoor plants. The issue is that this can block the photosynthesis process from starting, which would cause the plants to gradually lose their color.
This would be a true journey into hell for your Purple hyacinth bean and would also satisfy the pests.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)
Keep drainage in mind
If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.
You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).
