General description and special characteristics – Yard long bean most likely originated in southern China. It is a legume closely related to the common cowpea, typically cultivated for its edible immature pods. The pods hang in pairs and can be between 30 and 90 cm in length, although generally not much longer than 30cm. Today it is mostly cultivated in India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. The majority of production in Southeast Asia comes from smallholder farms. Although it can be grown in temperate regions, it will not produce fruit.
Varieties -
- Chinese Red Noodle: Red pod; 58 cm (23 in) long. Prolific producer.
- Kachin: A local variety with green purple-specked pods. Preferred for its soft texture.
- Tung Kwang Tong: Green pod; 40 cm (16 in) long. Soft in texture.