Lima Bean sprout has no leaves?

When lima beans sprout they already have true leaves growing between the baby leaves and are green. One sprout never pushed through the soil, I dug and found it sprouted but pale white and no true leaves present. I'm waiting till tomorrow to see what happens.

If no leaves grow and no color develops, could it be albino, or something genetic that didnt make it sprout and so its pale due to no sun for a prolonged period of time?

I'm thinking it sprouted under the soil days ago and grew down instead of up, and if a sprout doesn't get sun can't it stay pale and stop growing? Even albinos push normally through the soil and get leaves, this has none.

This message was edited Jun 5, 2013 7:34 PM

Sometimes they explode like they are squid , roots everywhere that look like they should be a plant ,. From there a sprout will come from below the seed .
Twice with mine at least,, this year ... The same thing happened.

This message was edited Jun 6, 2013 2:46 AM

A grub ate the leaves. With beans, if the very center is not damaged, it can sprout new ones rather rapidly. I used to pull the eaten beans and replant but learned that if left they soon catch up.

I left it alone so I'm going to check on it today and see if I can find new growth

LOL. It will take more than one day. Guess "rather rapidly" is a subjective phrase. Either tear it out or watch it for a week. I grow quite a few types of beans each year and am used to some getting hit.

I checked on it and its now brown and rotted, no idea what happened

If the heart gets eaten it dies quickly. Sorry for your loss.

I find that about 30% of my Fordhook 242 limas do not have a good leaf sprout when they emerge...this is in a good year and with no cold or water logged conditions.