Hyacinth bean goes by many names including Indian bean and Egyptian bean, which provide clues about its origin. Most of the Lablab purpureus plant is edible when prepared correctly, and it has been utilized as a food crop for centuries in Africa and Asia. It arrived in Europe by the early 1700s and gained popularity. Ever the plantsman, Thomas Jefferson is thought to have grown it in the early 1800s at Monticello. For more on this beautiful plant: CLICK HERE