Tepary Bean is an annual grown for its fruit, ready to harvest about 90 days after planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 11 and handles dry spells once it's established. Its late summer flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the fruit is 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
5-11
pH Range
5-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
90
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What Tepary Bean is
Tepary Bean grows as an annual and reaches around a foot and a half at maturity. It blooms in late summer.
How to grow Tepary Bean
Tepary Bean grows in USDA zones 5 through 11 and is ready to harvest about 90 days after planting. Tepary Bean does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5 to 8, 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
5-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
46.4°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Days to Maturity
90 days
plant_species_v5.csv
GDD Required
1800+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
1.5 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
60+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant tepary 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
Tepary Bean prefers pH 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
Tepary Bean is ready about 90 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Pick when the fruit is full-colored and parts easily from the stem.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — tepary bean isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Tepary Bean offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Tepary Bean thrives
Tepary Bean is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 11. 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 5–11·Where Tepary Bean growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Tepary Bean can grow in these states:
See if Tepary Bean will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether tepary bean actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Tepary Bean in my zone?
Tepary Bean grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 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 Tepary Bean take to grow?
Tepary Bean 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 Tepary Bean?
Most growers plant tepary 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 Tepary Bean need?
Tepary 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 Tepary Bean need?
Tepary Bean prefers soil pH 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 Tepary Bean attract pollinators?
Yes — tepary bean's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Tepary Bean safe for pets?
Tepary Bean is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.