Dolichos are half hardy perennials that are usually grown as half hardy annuals in the garden.
They are shrubby climbers. Plants may reach 9 metres (30 feet) in height.
Dolichos blooms with pea like flowers of purple, yellow or white from summer until the first frost of winter.
Both pictures Dolichos lablab - Hyacinth bean, and close up of pods by Bcballard
Common names for Dolichos include Hyacinth bean, Lablab, Bonavist and Sarawak bean.
Dolichos trilobus (Lablab Bean), photograph by Dr. Alexey Yakovlev; CC.
Dolichos lablab v alba Cultivar (Hyacinth bean), picture by 阿橋 HQ; CC.
If planting outdoors, then sow the Dolichos seeds into a sunny area of the garden after the last frost of spring. Simply cover the seed with a light dusting of soil
When growing Hyacinth bean (or other Dolichos plants) indoors first, then you will first need to soak the seeds for a day in warm water before sowing.
They will require about two weeks to one month to germinate at a temperature of about 21 degrees Centigrade (70°F).
Once the seedlings are ready, after about 7 or 8 weeks, they can be transplanted into the garden with a spacing of about 60 to 90 cm (two to three feet).
As Hyacinth beans are climbers, they will require a trellis for support when growing.
Dolichos can only be reliably grown from seed, so don't attempt to take cuttings or to divide plants.
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Dolichos plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ Fabaceae growing guides: How to grow Cercis occidentalis and Phaseolus plants.