Vigna radiata aka Mung Bean

Vigna radiata, or mung bean, belongs to the pea family, Fabaceae. Other names include green gram and golden gram. Kew places its native range from Arabia through tropical Asia and Taiwan. That range also includes northern and eastern Australia. Growers raise it across the tropics and subtropics for food. Plants have also spread into roadsides and waste ground in southern China.

This plant grows from a strong taproot. In cultivation, it grows as an annual, though Kew also records perennial forms. Stems may stand upright or lean, with many branches. Some plants form bushes; others climb with twining stems. The source lists a height of about 2.5 feet [0.75 metres]. Its broader reported range is 0.4–4.3 feet [0.13–1.3 metres]. Flowers are pale yellow, and the pods spread outward or hang down. Seeds are often green, though other colours occur. Flowers can set seed through self-pollination, and insects also visit them.

Mung bean suits warm sites with a dry season. It grows best at daytime temperatures of 21–36°C and cannot withstand frost. Give it full sun, though it can cope with light shade. It grows in soils from sand to clay. Good drainage and plenty of organic matter suit it best. Its preferred annual rainfall is 650–900 mm. Growers can raise it as a dry-season crop. Rain during bloom can reduce seed set. Soak seeds in warm water for 12 hours before direct sowing. At 25°C, seeds may sprout within three to seven days. Germination needs temperatures above 12°C.

The mature seeds provide several foods. Cooks boil them for soups, stews, and vegetable dishes. They also ferment them for dishes such as idli. Split seeds can be fried for snacks. Ground seeds supply flour for noodles, bread, and biscuits. Sprouts serve as food in salads and cooked dishes. Young pods are also edible when cooked. These uses make it a food crop for warm gardens.

Beyond food, growers use mung bean as green manure and ground cover. Its seed flour contains saponins and can replace soap. Traditional medicine uses the seeds for several ailments, including coughs and fevers. Such use does not establish that these treatments work. The source reports no known hazards, but gives no separate pet-safety assessment.