Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis

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Yardlong bean
Snake Bean BNC.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Vigna
Species: V. unguiculata
Subspecies: V. u. subsp. sesquipedalis
Trinomial name
Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis
(L.) Verdc.
  • Dolichos sesquipedalis L.
  • Vigna sesquipedalis (L.) F. Agcaoili
  • Vigna sesquipedalis (L.) Fruwirth

Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis is a legume cultivated to be eaten as green pods. It is known as the yardlong bean,[2] bora, bodi,[3] long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean,[2] pea bean,[2] snake bean, or Chinese long bean.[2] Despite the common name, the pods are actually only about half a yard long; the subspecies name sesquipedalis (one-and-a-half-foot-long) is a rather accurate approximation of the pods' length.

This plant is of a different genus from the common bean. It is a vigorous climbing annual vine. The plant is subtropical/tropical and most widely grown in the warmer parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and southern China. A variety of the cowpea, it is grown primarily for its strikingly long (35- to 75-cm) immature pods and has uses very similar to that of the green bean. The many varieties of yardlong beans are usually distinguished by the different colors of their mature seeds. The plant attracts many pollinators, specifically various types of yellowjackets and ants.



Flower of yardlong bean
Seeds of yardlong beans

The crisp, tender pods are eaten both fresh and cooked. They are at their best when young and slender. They are sometimes cut into short sections for cooking uses. As a West Indian dish, they are often stir-fried with potatoes and shrimp. In Odisha, India, they are called ଝୁଡ଼ୁଙ୍ଗ [jhudunga], used to make a variety of dishes. Especially a sour dish - ଝୁଡ଼ୁଙ୍ଗ ବେସର [judunga besara] cooking along with mustard sauce and lime. They are also used in stir-fries in Chinese cuisine and Kerala cuisine.[citation needed]

In the Philippines, they are known as sitaw or butong and are widely eaten stir-fried with soy sauce, garlic, and hot pepper and in an all-vegetable dish called utan, or are stewed in bagoong-based dishes such as pinakbet and dinengdeng. Other Filipino dishes that have yardlong beans as ingredients are sinigang and kare-kare. Yardlong beans are also separated from the pod and are cooked with the buds of the alukon tree (Alleaenthus luzonicus) and other vegetables in a dish called agaya in northeastern Luzon.[citation needed]


The plant is easy to grow in areas with hot and humid summers where other green bean varieties may succumb to heat damage in summer, and as such is worthy of more cultivation in these areas. This plant is particularly easy to grow in the Southeastern United States and southerly Midwestern United States, where it is not currently grown commonly.[citation needed]

In Suriname cuisine, they are called kousenband and served with roti.[citation needed] Similarly, in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana (where it is known as bodi or bora) it is a Indo-Trinidadian/Indo-Guyanese dish that fried or curried and served with roti or rice.

In Khmer, the national language of Cambodia, they are called សណ្ដែកកួរ, IPA: [sɑndaek kuə].



Yardlong bean, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 197 kJ (47 kcal)
8.35 g
0.4 g
2.8 g
Vitamin A equiv.
43 μg
Thiamine (B1)
0.107 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
0.11 mg
Niacin (B3)
0.41 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
0.55 mg
Vitamin B6
0.024 mg
Folate (B9)
62 μg
Vitamin C
18.8 mg
50 mg
0.47 mg
44 mg
0.205 mg
59 mg
240 mg
4 mg
0.37 mg

Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database


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