larger than the Common bean. The bean pod is typically 15-22 cm (6-9 in) long and has four wings with frilly edges running lengthwise. The skin is waxy and the flesh partially translucent in the young pods. When the pod is fully ripe, it turns an ash-brown color and splits open to release the seeds. The large flower is a pale blue. The beans themselves are similar to soybeans in both use and nutritional content (being 29.8% to 39% protein).

The plant is one of the best nitrogen fixers with nodulation accomplished by the soil bacterium Rhizobium. Because of its ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, the plant requires very little or no fertilizers.

Being a tropical plant, it is sensitive to frost. It will not flower if day length is more than 12 hours. The seeds have a hard coat and it helps to presoak the seeds before planting to hasten germination. The plant grows very quickly, reaching a length of four meters in a few weeks.

Uses

be picked and prepared as a leaf vegetable, similar to spinach. The roots can be used as a root vegetable, similar to the potato, and have a nutty flavor; they are also much more rich in protein than potatoes. The dried seeds can be useful as a flour and also to make a coffee-like drink. Each of these parts of the winged bean provide a source of vitamin A and other vitamins. It is possible that, with a little genetic improvement through selective breeding, the winged bean could raise the standard of living for millions of people in poor, tropical countries.