What hardiness zones is Vicia faba 'Broad Windsor' suitable for?

Vicia faba 'Broad Windsor' is an annual vegetable reaching 30-42 inches (75-105 cm) tall with a spread of 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) and an upright, stiff, single-stemmed habit with square stems. An English heirloom fava bean (broad bean) dating to the 1800s—the standard broad bean of British gardens—it produces short, broad, thick pods 5-7 inches (13-18 cm) long containing 3-5 very large, flat, round beans that are among the largest individual fava beans. Days to maturity 65-80 from spring sowing. Growth rate is moderate. Cool-season crop—prefers 60-65°F (16-18°C) and tolerates light frost. Nitrogen-fixing. Spring-sown in most climates. Shorter and stockier than 'Aquadulce'—less prone to lodging.

Native Range

Vicia faba originated in the Mediterranean and Near East. 'Broad Windsor' is an English heirloom dating to the 1800s.

Suggested Uses

Grown in vegetable gardens for culinary use—fresh shelled, double-peeled, soups, mashing, succotash, risotto. Largest individual fava beans. Standard English broad bean. Spring-sown. 65-80 days—fastest fava. Sturdiest plant—less lodging. Nitrogen-fixing. Contains vicine—can cause favism in G6PD-deficient individuals. Less cold-tolerant than Aquadulce—not suitable for overwintering in most climates.

How to Identify

Distinguished from 'Aquadulce' by the shorter broader pods (5-7 versus 8-10 inches), the fewer but larger individual beans (3-5 versus 5-7 per pod), the shorter sturdier plant, the faster spring maturity (65-80 versus 80-90 days), and the English (versus Spanish) origin. Not as cold-tolerant—spring-sown rather than overwintered. Broad Windsor—standard English broad bean, largest individual beans, shortest fava, sturdiest, spring-sown, 1800s heirloom.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2'6" - 3'6"

Width/Spread8" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Clusters of white flowers with black-purple eye blotch on wing petals from late spring. Sweet fragrance. Bumblebee-pollinated. Each cluster produces 2-3 pods.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White with black-purple eye blotch; fragrant; clusters; late spring

Foliage Description

Blue-green; pinnately compound; on stiff square stems; stockier than Aquadulce

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun Partial Shade

Requires 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

65-80 days from direct sow

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Direct sow in early spring 4-6 weeks before last frost—tolerates light frost. Moist, fertile, well-drained soil (pH 6.0-7.0). Nitrogen-fixing—inoculate with Rhizobium. Full sun to part shade. Stake if exposed. Days to maturity 65-80 from direct sow. Pinch tips when pods form. Harvest when pods are plump. Cool-season—production declines above 75°F (24°C).