Trailing Wild Bean is a hardy, nitrogen-fixing annual vine native from Texas over to the Eastern US. It thrives in sandy soils that are medium to very dry. An interesting characteristic is that the ripe beans are fuzzy or woolly, giving it alternate common names such as Trailing Fuzzybean, Woolly Bean, or Amberique-bean. This vine will spread 8-10' by summers' end in areas that include savannas, open fields, and meadows. Makes a quick privacy screening when grown on fences or trellises. Trailing Wild Bean and its relative, Small Wild Bean, are not frequently encountered, and usually occur in small populations. Members of the genus Strophostyles are legumes, and they help to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil.
Bees are the primary pollinator of Strophyles species. Mammals often consume the foliage and game birds often consume the seeds. It is said that the fuzzy beans are edible, but we have not tried them.
Germination: May have higher germination rates when cold moist stratified for at least 30 days. Can be direct sown into the garden in the fall; germination rates may increase given a warm water soak or scarification
