Lima Bean is grown for its pods, ready to pick about 75 days after sowing. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 11. Its summer 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
3-11
pH Range
4.5-8.4
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
75
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What Lima Bean is
Lima Bean reaches around two feet at maturity. It blooms white in summer.
How to grow Lima Bean
Lima Bean grows in USDA zones 3 through 11 and is ready to harvest about 75 days after planting. Lima Bean does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 8.4, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,800 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 8.4
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
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Drainage
well (dry spells)
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Frost Tolerance
55.4°F
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Days to Maturity
75 days
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GDD Required
1800+
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Mature Height
2 ft
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Frost-Free Days
60+
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Start the season right
Plant lima bean in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Lima Bean prefers pH 4.5 to 8.4 (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
Lima Bean is ready about 75 days after sowing (University Extension production guides). Pick the pods young and tender, before the seeds inside fully swell.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — lima bean isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Lima Bean offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Lima Bean thrives
On hardiness alone, lima bean grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 3 through 11) is unusually wide. 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 3–11·Where Lima Bean growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Lima Bean can grow in these states:
See if Lima Bean will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether lima bean 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 Lima Bean in my zone?
Lima Bean grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 11 (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 Lima Bean take to grow?
Lima Bean is ready to harvest about 75 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Lima Bean?
Most growers plant lima bean after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 60-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 Lima Bean need?
Lima Bean 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 Lima Bean need?
Lima Bean prefers soil pH 4.5 to 8.4, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Lima Bean attract pollinators?
Yes — lima bean's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Lima Bean safe for pets?
Lima Bean is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.