Glycine

( GLYE - seen )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus is commonly called Soybean or Soya Bean, and produces crops of edible beans used in many cuisines worldwide. Plants are native to Australia and East Asia, and typically have sprawling, climbing, or bushy habits. Leaves are green, and flowers are of the typical Fabaceae shape. Flowers are commonly pink or purple, and bloom in spring and summertime. These plants can be used as nitrogen-fixing live soil amendments, as members of edible gardens, or simply as bank stabilization in sloped areas.

Glycine Species and Varietals

The genus Glycine is a member of the plant family Fabaceae, and includes 28 species. Plants in this genus grow well in USDA hardiness zones 5-10. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Glycine canescens (Silky Glycine, )
This trailing, twining herbaceous plant is considered to be critically endangered due to habitat loss, and is a perennial native to Australia. It is being studied for its potential to improve on the common Soybean (Glycine max). Flowers in this species are pink to purple. This species is considered an environmental weed in some regions.

Glycine clandestina (Love Creeper, Twining Glycine, Twining Pea, Clandestine Wisteria, Clandestine Bean)
This species is native mainly in Australia, and has a scrambling habit. Leaves are dark green and flowers are purple. Individual plants in the species can produce stems that reach up to 6.5 feet long.

Glycine cyrtoloba (Basketlike-Lobed Soybean, Curved Clycine)
Native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, these plants are wild crop relatives of the common Soybean (Glycine max). Trailing stems can reach up to 3.3 feet long when plants are mature, and small flowers are pale blue-red to pink-purple.

Glycine latifolia (Glycine, Native Soybean)
Native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. This species is a perennial wild crop relative of the commercially grown Soybean (Glycine max); it has great resistance to a few of the common ailments that affect this genus of plants.

Glycine max (Soybean, Soya Bean)
These plants are grown worldwide on a very large scale, which has caused dramatic deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest and other areas of the globe. About 80% of soybeans grown worldwide is dedicated to feeding livestock to supply the meat industry. Considered a weed along roadsides, in fields, and in coastal zones in North America and Europe.

Glycine microphylla (Small-Leaf Glycine, Climbing Glycine, Twining Glycine, Twining Pea)
This species of Glycine is a scrambling plant native to southeastern and northeastern Australia. Flowers vary in color on these plants from mauve to shades of pink or purple. Along the ground, it reaches about a foot tall. Trailing stems can reach up to just over 3 feet long.

Glycine soja (Wild Soybean, Ye Da Dou, Tsuru-Mame, Wild Soya Bean, Reseeding Soybean)
This annual plant is the closest living wild relative to the domesticated Soybean (Glycine max) and is native to China, eastern Russia, and Japan. It has good aphid resistance. The species is known as a noxious weed in some areas of the United States, but is not considered invasive.

Glycine tabacina (Variable Glycine, Glycine Pea, Pea Glycine)
This plant is native to Australia, where it grows in moist environments with high rainfall. Flowers are bluish-purple, and bloom in the warmer months of the year. Butterflies love the nectar from these plants. Individual plants produce trailing stems that reach up to over 3 feet long.

Glycine tomentella (Wooly Glycine, Rusty Glycine, Hairy Glycine, Peak Downs Clover)
This species is native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and coastal China. Plants produce pinkish to purple flowers. Stems and leaves are wooly and green.

Caring for Glycine

Glycine, or Soybean, plants are typically grown from seed. Plant them in full sun to light shade; ideally these sprawling plants appreciate around 6 hours of sun each day, though in warmer climates they appreciate some shade in the late afternoon when temperatures are at their peak (typically between 2 and 3 PM). Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are considered to be drought-tolerant, but will perform (and therefore produce) better with regular waterings. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Do not overfertilize, as this will harm the shrub and typically encourage foliage growth over flower production. Chorizema are considered easy-care plants, and respond well to pinching when they are young to encourage a bushier habit. After flowers fade, the plant can be rejuvenated for the next season by pruning back old wood. These plants will bloom primarily on new wood, so there is no risk of taking off next year's blooms. These shrubs are considered short-lived perennials, surviving for about 4-6 years in the garden before needing to be replaced. The genus Glycine includes both annual and perennial plants. Annuals are harvested and either left in place to enrich the soil or pulled and composted at the end of the growing season. Perennial species can survive for between 3 years and several decades in the landscape before needing to be replaced, and can make a good groundcover or grazing plant.

Caring for Glycine in Containers
Soybean plants do well in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Soybean plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season.

Harvesting Glycine
Glycine, or Soybean plants are harvested for their edible beans, and are grown worldwide (particularly in China, the United States, Brazil, and Argentina). They take between 68 and 140 days to reach harvesting maturity; if they are harvested for their green, plump pods, they are harvested between 70 and 90 days after planting, and if they are harvested for their dry pods (for seed saving), they are collected 100 or more days after planting. Green pods should be harvested when they are plump, before they turn yellow. Pods can be hand-picked (which will encourage more flowers and pods to form on the plant), or the entire plant can be pulled from the ground and all pods can be processed afterwards. Green pods should be used immediately and can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Green soybean pods (also called Edamame), are typically boiled or steamed, and shelled beans can be added to salads, stir fries, soups, grain bowls, or blended into dips or spreads.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.

Propagation

Glycine, or Soybean, plants are best propagated using seed. To propagate your Soybean plant, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Glycine by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-21 days from sowing.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Alternatively, Soybean seeds can be sown directly into the garden soil once soil temperatures consistently remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space seeds 4-6 inches apart for best coverage and airflow.