Edamame
Glycine max
Edamame is a warm-season legume in the pea family, a bushy annual grown from young green soybeans. The plant fixes its own nitrogen and forms fuzzy green pods.
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Even moisture, especially at podding
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Edamame is a name for soybeans (Glycine max), a warm-season annual legume in the pea family (Fabaceae) grown as a garden vegetable. The same species, left to mature and dry, produces the soybeans used in industry and agriculture.
The plant forms a bushy, branching habit and fixes nitrogen through root nodules. It is straightforward to grow and is cultivated as a fresh garden crop.
How to identify it
A bushy, hairy-stemmed legume with trifoliate leaves and fuzzy pods.
- Leaves: Compound with three broad, oval leaflets, covered in fine hairs
- Stems: Upright, branching, distinctly fuzzy; plants usually 1-3 ft tall
- Flowers: Small, inconspicuous white to pale purple pea-type blooms
- Pods: Short, plump, fuzzy green pods, each holding 2-3 beans
- Habit: Compact, bushy annual
Care & growing
Light: Full sun.
Water: Even moisture, especially critical during flowering and pod fill; drought reduces yield.
Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil; pH 6.0-6.8. Inoculating seed with rhizobia bacteria boosts nitrogen fixation.
Temperature: Warm-season crop needing soil above 60 F; frost-sensitive.
Feeding: Low nitrogen needs — the plant fixes its own; phosphorus and potassium support pod set.
Propagation: From seed sown directly after the soil warms.
Habitat & origin
Soybeans were domesticated in East Asia (China) thousands of years ago. The name edamame is Japanese, meaning "stem beans."
Soybeans are now grown worldwide as a major commodity crop, while edamame-type soybeans are cultivated in gardens and on specialty farms across temperate regions with warm summers.
Frequently asked questions
How tall does an edamame plant grow?
It is a compact, bushy annual that usually reaches 1-3 ft tall, with upright, branching, fuzzy stems.
When are edamame pods mature?
The plump, fuzzy green pods fill out and are typically picked all at once when bright green and full; left longer the beans harden and dry on the plant.
How do I recognize an edamame plant?
Look for trifoliate leaves of three broad oval leaflets, fuzzy upright stems, small white to pale-purple pea-type flowers, and short fuzzy green pods holding 2-3 beans.
Does edamame need a lot of fertilizer?
No. As a legume it fixes its own nitrogen through root nodules, so it has low nitrogen needs; phosphorus and potassium help pod set.
Edamame guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Edamame.
