Summary: Vigna radiata (Green Gram) is a plant in the Fabaceae family. Verdica documents 25 traditional uses, 190 phytochemical compounds, and 20 herb-drug interactions for this species.
Vigna radiata, or commonly known as Mung Bean, is an erect or semi-erect annual legume about 130 cm in height with a well-developed taproot. It is also known as moong bean, green gram, or mung. It is mainly cultivated as food crop in India, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The leaves are dark green and have three leaflets each. Flowers are pale yellow and small occurring in clusters of 10-20. The pods are black and straight. There are two main cultivars of V. radiata - golden gram, which has yellow seeds and the pods often shatter at maturity, and green gram, which has green seeds and the pods ripen more uniformly and are less likely to shatter. V. radiata has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria that form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Mature seeds are cooked or sprouted and used as an ingredient in a wide range of dishes. Young seedpods and leaves can also be cooked. In traditional medicine, the seeds are used in the treatment of paralysis, rheumatism, coughs, fevers, and liver ailments. Aside from the above-mentioned food and medicinal uses, the plant is also planted as a green manure or cover crop. Seed flour is rich in saponin contents and used as a substitute for soap. Plants are grown from seeds.
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Watering | Moderate — drought tolerant once established |
| Soil | Well-drained; nitrogen-fixing — minimal fertilizer needed |
| Hardiness Zone | Varies widely (USDA 2-11) |
Explore the full profile of Vigna radiata in the Verdica app — including detailed traditional uses, phytochemical data, care guides, and more.
Open in Verdica →