Glycine Pea, Glycine
Glycine tabacina
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Glycine tabacina is a PERENNIAL CLIMBER. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
Not known
E. Asia - China to Australia in all the mainland states.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Root - raw or cooked. Said to have a liquorice-like flavour, it is chewed by the Australian Aborigines. Starchy but very fibrous and with no noticeable flavour.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in this country. It is hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens, though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens because of our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. Plants are likely to need a well-drained soil and a warm sunny sheltered position. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Propagating it: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in early spring in a greenhouse. The seed should germinate within two weeks at a temperature between 12 - 16°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial Climber
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist