Adzuki Bean

Adzuki are small red beans that grow in long thin pods on short bushy plants that can be trellised for extra support or left to stand on their own. This is a Japanese heirloom variety that is often used to make sweet red bean paste for soup eaten with mochi at New Years or as a stuffing in treats such as steamed buns, dumplings, pancakes and mochi. The dried beans are also traditionally cooked whole and mixed into rice for a simple and nutritious side dish.

Archeological and genetic evidence suggest that the wild ancestors of adzuki originated near the Himalayas and spread throughout Asia, but that the cultivated traits in modern varieties were first selected for in Japan by the ancestors of Ainu people.

Also known as Azuki bean, Aduki bean, Red bean, Red mung bean, Xiǎodòu, Hóngdòu, Chìdòu, đậu đỏ, Red chori, Red cowpea, Lal chavali, Lūbyā ḥamrāˈ

(Sources: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads2871)

Days to maturity: 60-80

Seeds per pack: 35-40

Germination rate: 96% on 12/11/2025

Planting / harvesting notes

Direct sow 1 inch deep in well-drained soil when the ground is consistently above 60 degrees. Space plants 4-6 inches apart in rows 18-24 inches apart. Keep soil consistently moist especially during flower and pod formation. Harvest when the pods have fully matured, dried and turned a light tan color. Remove the dried beans from the pods and winnow or screen off the chaff.

Seed keeping notes

Self-pollinating with occasional cross-pollination. Harvest when pods are dry and brittle. Shell and lay out to dry further before storing.

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