Fabaceae

Silky jackbean

Canavalia sericea A.Gray

Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Canavalia

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Silky jackbean (Canavalia sericea) — FlowerPhoto: Peter de Lange, CC0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (2)

English: Silky jackbean
Tongan: Lautolu

Synonyms

Canavalia sericea f. grandifoliolata O.Deg. & I.Deg.
Canavalia sericea var. cuspidata Degener & Degener
Canavalia sericea var. cuspidata O.Deg. & I.Deg.
Canavalia sericea var. yunckeri Degener & Degener
Canavalia sericea var. yunckeri O.Deg. & I.Deg.

Flowers

In flower: March, May, September to December (from 17 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Vine
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Peter de Lange, CC0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Caleb Catto, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Peter de Lange, CC0, from iNaturalist
FruitPhoto: Debra Baker, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Tauʻolunga, CC BY-SA 2.5, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Kevin Faccenda, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Kevin Faccenda, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Rorey, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Damien Wallace, CC0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Canavalia

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.