Vicia faba 'Fava Bean 'Mammoth'

Family: Fabaceae Legume

Sink your senses into the rich, meadow-green pods of Fava Bean ‘Mammoth’—they swell with a confident, almost sculptural heft and reveal velvety, pale interiors when opened.

The beans offer a buttery, sweet-forward flavor with a tender, substantial bite, prized for their satisfying texture. Grow ‘Mammoth’ for fresh shelling and for making luscious bean-forward purées and spreads, or for blanching and simmering into hearty, aromatic dishes.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 100 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Vicia faba 'Fava Bean 'Mammoth'

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Direct Sow
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 25th
Harvest Begins	Aug 3rd
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	100
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	55
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Mammoth favas lean sweet and buttery with a tender, meaty bite—ideal for blitzed purées that go glossy and cling to toast, pasta, or spooned bread. Peel/refresh them after blanching so the inner beans taste clean and plush rather than green-and-starchy.

Best Uses

quick shelling and blanching, then tossing with olive oil and flaky salt
velvety purée or spread (blend with butter, lemon, and salt for a silky mouthfeel)
short-simmered beans in brothy aromatics where they stay tender
folding into warm salads and pastas that want a plush center

Flavor Profile

buttery, sweet-forward snap tender, substantial bean bite meadow-green, gently earthy finish creamy when crushed or puréed

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil butter garlic parmesan fresh mint

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease is most common on Vicia faba (fava beans), and how do I manage it in a home garden?

Watch for chocolate-brown, powdery-looking spots and leaf dieback from fungal leaf spot, especially when days are cool and nights are damp. Remove infected leaves early, improve airflow by spacing plants, and water at the base so foliage stays dry. If conditions are repeatedly wet, use a labeled fungicide for edible legumes and apply according to the label as soon as spots appear.

How often should I water Vicia faba during the main growing phase?

During flowering and pod fill (roughly mid-season through about 60–90 days), keep soil consistently moist but not soggy—aim for about 1 inch of water per week total, adjusted for rainfall and wind. Water deeply when the top 1–2 inches of soil feel dry; fava beans suffer if they repeatedly dry out while forming pods. Avoid frequent shallow watering, which encourages weak rooting and more stress during heat swings.

How can I tell when Vicia faba 'Mammoth' is ready to harvest?

Harvest when pods are well-filled but still tender, typically around 90–100 days from sowing. For “green” beans, pick pods while they are glossy and the seeds inside are clearly swollen but not hard; if you press a seed, it should dent slightly. For shelling dry beans, leave pods on the plant until they turn dry and brown and then harvest the fully matured seeds.