Lablab is a perennial grown for its pods, ready to pick about 90 days after sowing. It's hardy across USDA zones 7 through 13 and handles dry spells once it's established. Its spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the pods are the prize. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.
Zones
7-13
pH Range
4.5-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
90
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What Lablab is
Lablab grows as a perennial and reaches around three feet at maturity. It blooms white in spring.
How to grow Lablab
Lablab grows in USDA zones 7 through 13 and is ready to harvest about 90 days after planting. Lablab does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs around 2,500 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 70 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
7-13
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
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Drainage
well (dry spells)
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Frost Tolerance
37.4°F
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Days to Maturity
90 days
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GDD Required
2500+
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Mature Height
3 ft
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Frost-Free Days
70+
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Start the season right
Plant lablab in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Lablab prefers pH 4.5 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Lablab is ready about 90 days after sowing (University Extension production guides). Pick the pods young and tender, before the seeds inside fully swell.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — lablab is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Lablab offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Lablab thrives
Lablab is hardy across USDA zones 7 through 13. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 7–13·Where Lablab growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Lablab can grow in these states:
See if Lablab will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether lablab actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Lablab in my zone?
Lablab grows in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 13 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does Lablab take to grow?
Lablab is ready to harvest about 90 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Lablab?
Most growers plant lablab after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 70-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Lablab need?
Lablab needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Lablab need?
Lablab prefers soil pH 4.5 to 8, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Lablab attract pollinators?
Yes — lablab's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Lablab safe for pets?
Lablab is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency.