Mescal bean is a flowering, multi-trunked, evergreen tree or shrub that can reach heights of 32 feet, although its usual height at maturity is 10 to 15 feet. It is typically found along borders of streams, forming thickets or small groves in low rather moist limestone soils. It grows in well-drained, moist or occasionally dry, soils in full or partial sun. It will not grow in the shade. The plant is not grown in North Carolina; however, its seeds are imported for making necklaces. Mescal bean is drought-tolerant and prefers rocky limestone soil. Like many woody plants native to rocky soils, it is slow growing. The fragrance of its flowers is reminiscent of artificial grape products. The brilliant, lacquer red seeds contain the highly poisonous alkaloid cytisine (or sophorine), a substance related to nicotine and widely cited as a narcotic and hallucinogen. Although mescal bean is a common name for the plant, it bears no relation to the Agave species used to make the spirit mezcal. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems No known insect or disease problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Growth rate
Slow
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Rounded
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Pinnately divided with 7-9 leaflets, notched, silky below. The dense and glossy compound leaves are composed of 7 to 9 shiny, leathery leaflets that are rounded on the ends. The leaflets are up to 2 inches or more long, tapering more gradually to the base than to the tip, and arranged along an axis terminated by a single leaflet .
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Pea-like violet-blue flowers. The flowers, in 3 to 7 inch drooping clusters, are very showy and fragrant.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit detail
Woody pod with bright red, poisonous seeds.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Mexico and Southwestern USA
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Legume
Landscape Use
Garden tags
#evergreen tree #fragrant flowers #evergreen shrub #poisonous #drought tolerant #ornamentals
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Drought
Particularly resistant to
drought
Propagation
Seed
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Seeds
Poison symptoms
The seeds of this plant, which are often used in making necklaces, are mildly poisonous if eaten. The poisonous elements of this plant resemble nicotine in its actions and toxicity. If seeds are ingested, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, excitement, delirium, and coma.