Blue Bean Tree guild

This page is dedicated to our Blue bean (Decaisnea fargesii) guild in our Food Forest. this outlines the polyculture of companion pants around the Blue Bean.

A large deciduous shrub from Western China, growing to 5 m (16 ft) high – 3 m in 10 years. It bears huge pinnate leaves, yellow flowers and remarkable metallic-blue seed pods the shape of broad bean pods. These pods are edible raw, with a sweet, rather delicate flavour. Likes a moist site in sun or part shade;

Tree bought from Agroforesty trust and Planted in our Terrace one Food Forest (olive grove conversion into a Food Forest) March 2018. We plan to propagate this tree and sell in Portugal.

Blue Bean Tree Guild
Design of the blue bean guild at Keela Yoga Farm, by Simone, a student at Keela yoga Farm’s food forest course in March 2018

Blue Bean Companion Plants:

Goosdberry & tayberry: A small shrub to provide us with a yield of berries while the tree develops

Repel pests or attract beneficial insects: Hollyhock (edible flowers), Anis Hysop (Tea/ Salad), Parsley, Lavender, Borage (Dynamic Accumulator), Lemon Balm, Chocolate Mint, thyme, Rosemary

Fill gaps and out compete weeds: Globe artichoke, edible honeysuckle (to grow down the wall), pumpkin (to grow down the wall and off the guild)

Bulbed flowers for color and to keep nutrients in the guild: amaryllis and gladiolo

Ground covers: Clovers to fix nitrogen

Blue bean planted near:

Two nitrogen fixing Sea buckthorn shrubs, White pit bamboo and a thicket of berries.

Photos to follow: