Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus), also known as butter beans in many parts of the world including Australia, are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the Americas, with evidence of domestication in Peru dating back thousands of years. They come in two main types: large-seeded (also called butter beans) and small-seeded (baby limas).
Lima beans can be eaten at the immature green stage, when they have a delicate, sweet flavour, or as dried mature seeds with a starchier, more robust character. They are used in succotash, soups, casseroles, and as a simple side dish. The mature dried form is a staple in many tropical and subtropical food systems across Central America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Safety
- › Toxicity: Contains phytohaemagglutinin. Requires preparation.
How it's produced
Lima beans are a warm-season annual crop that needs a long frost-free growing period — typically 60 to 90 days for bush varieties and longer for pole types. They are planted in well-drained soil after the ground has warmed and grow as either bush or climbing plants.
For fresh (immature) lima beans, pods are picked while still green and plump. For dried beans, the pods are left on the plant until they have fully matured and dried down. Commercial production is largely mechanised in the United States, while smallholder farming remains common in Africa and Latin America. After harvest, dried beans are threshed, cleaned, and sorted.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for legumes & pulses, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
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