Sword Bean ~ "Magic Bean"

Sword Bean (The Magic Bean)

Nature : Warm
Taste : Sweet
Acts on Organ : Kidney, Stomach, Large intestine
Healing Effects : Warm the middle region; push energy downward; relieve hiccup, cough, asthma, headache and pain.

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Many ppl know sword bean as "The Magic Bean" in S'pore, due to the seed pod's resemblence to the blade of a sword so its Malay name is in-fact "Kacang Parang". Botanically, it is known as Canavalia gliadata and originates from tropical Asia and Africa. The Sword Bean has a close relative, the Jack Bean, Canavalia ensiformis, which originates from South and Central America.

It's the seed that stuffed inside a decorative tin can and together with some vermiculite, which it is to be grown in, the "Magic Bean" was marketed initially as a gift item for individuals to convey their feelings. By just adding water and a short wait of a couple of days, an over-sized bean seedling wakes from its dormancy and reveals the secret message on its gigantic cotyledons to its recepient.

The words were reportedly etched onto the seed using a laser beam. Beans encoded with lottery numbers or festive greetings. The bean seedling usually sheds its message-encoded seed leaves within a fortnight and is discarded thereafter.

When this plant is transplant into a large pot or into the ground to grow. The seedling will put out its large trifoliate leaves and the vine that eventually result will twine around any support it can find. Given the right conditions, the seedling will turn into a large, vigorous climber in about two months. From the third month onwards, it should produce arching sprays of red or white coloured flowers. These will form into long green and flat bean pods. When allowed to mature and dry on the vine, the pod, when split, will yield the familiar-looking white beans.

The pod and seeds of C. ensiformis

The young pods of both beans are actually eaten as a vegetable in tropical Asia and pickled in Japan. The mature seeds are a good source of protein but should never be eaten raw as they contain a toxic amino acid, canavanine, which is an anti-metabolite of arginine.

Canavanine has been found to be cytotoxic to human pancreatic cancer cells. Lectins - concanavalin A and B found in the mature seed can inhibit the absorption of nutrients by the gut. Overnight soaking of the seeds and boiling them in excess water will significantly reduce the canavanine content in them. Heating will also denature the antinutritive lectins. The soaking and cooking water should be discarded.

The seeds are also a source of urease, which is used in molecular biology. The Chinese Materia Medica documents the use of the dried seeds of the Sword Bean, Semen Canavaliae, as possessing the properties of being able to warm the spleen and stomach, causing qi to descent and supplementing qi in the kidneys.

The seeds germinate readily within a week. Because the vines are rampant and sprawling, a large trellis needs to be erected for them to climb on. Both legumes are not fussy about soil type and fertility and are relatively drought-resistant.

Give the plants plenty of room to grow - plants in row are to be spaced 60 cm apart and 90 cm between two adjacent rows. The vines are best grown under full sun but are tolerant of some shade. Provide a good base of a balanced fertiliser before sowing of seeds and feed with a flowering and fruiting fertiliser only occasionally during growth. Overfeeding with nitrogen may depress the yield of pods.

Most importantly, these plants are seldom bothered by pests and diseases.

Source obtain from: http://greenculturesg.com/articles/feb07/feb07_swordbean.htm