Sikya Hatíqo is a pole lima bean with deep roots in high desert gardening traditions, offering seeds that range from deep yellow to dark orange with striking black mottling. This Hopi Yellow Lima variety delivers a distinctive nutty flavor that sets it apart from milder lima cultivars. As a frost-tender pole bean, it climbs vigorously and requires warm soil to thrive, germinating best between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 6 inches apart in rows 24 inches wide, and this heirloom selection will reward you with a harvest of richly flavored beans suited to both fresh eating and storage.
—
Moderate
?-?
?in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
The seeds themselves are a visual feast, their warm yellows and oranges contrasted with deep black markings that evoke the artistry of traditional Hopi seed selection. Nutty flavor distinguishes these limas from the bland, starchy reputation some gardeners associate with the species, making them genuinely delicious fresh or dried. The high desert origins mean this variety has adapted to thrive in challenging conditions, yet it still demands the warmth that makes beans so rewarding to grow in summer gardens.
Sikya Hatíqo beans are eaten fresh as snap beans or allowed to mature fully for dry bean cookery. Their nutty flavor makes them excellent in soups, stews, and grain dishes where a more assertive bean character is welcome. Dried, they store exceptionally well and provide reliable nutrition through winter months, a quality that has made them valuable to high desert communities for generations.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Transplant hardened seedlings outdoors only after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 6 inches apart with 24 inches between rows.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after last frost date, when soil is warm and all danger of cold has passed. Plant seeds at a depth of approximately 1 inch into warm soil.
For fresh snap beans, harvest pods when they are young and tender, before the beans inside fully mature. For mature dry beans, allow pods to dry on the vine until they turn papery and rattle when shaken, then shell and store. Time your final harvest before the first fall frost, as Sikya Hatíqo is frost-tender and cold will damage both vines and developing beans.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Sikya Hatíqo comes from the Native Seeds/SEARCH Seed Bank Collection, a repository dedicated to preserving crops with deep cultural and agricultural roots in the American Southwest. The Hopi Yellow Lima represents generations of seed selection and cultivation by Hopi farmers in the high desert region, where these beans have been grown, saved, and replanted to maintain both their distinctive appearance and flavor. Through the work of Native Seeds/SEARCH, this variety has been rescued from the possibility of extinction and made available to gardeners who want to connect with authentic desert agriculture and support seed sovereignty.”