Types & Varieties of Beans

French Beans

• actually not french at all...they originally came from the Americas
• French Beans are wind-pollinated, so they fruit more reliably than runner beans, which are insect-pollinated
• also known as:
  • Snap Beans
  • String Beans
  • Kenya Beans
  • Kidney Beans
    • just a categorization of how long the bean was left on the plant
    • also known as Haricot Beans
    • left to ripen fully on the plant
    • when dried, they can store for many months
  • Haricot Beans
    • just a categorization of how long the bean was left on the plant
    • also known as Kidney Beans
    • left to ripen fully on the plant
    • when dried, they can store for many months
  • Borlotti Beans
  • Cannellini Beans
    • also known as Flageolet beans
    • half-ripe French Beans
    • shelled and eaten like peas
  • Flageolet Beans
    • also known as Cannellini beans
    • half-ripe French Beans
    • shelled and eaten like peas
• sub-categories of French Beans:
  • Filet (aka Fine) are long and thin
  • Climbers (aka Pole Beans)
    • usually indeterminate, with a continuous harvest
  • Dwarf (aka Bush Beans)
    • usually are determinate, giving one big harvest
• Colors of French Beans available:
  • green
  • yellow
  • gold
  • purple
  • red
  • multicolored

Runner Beans

• notorious for producing a glut, so don't plant too many
• pick them when young, before they turn tough and stringy
• very easy to grow
• Growth habits:
  • Climbers, or Pole Beans
  • Dwarf bush beans
• Colors of Runner Beans available:
  • scarlet (red flower produces red or purple speckled beans
  • white (white flowers produce white beans)
  • multicolored
  • black

Broad Beans

• can be sown in the fall for a crop the following spring, or in spring for harvesting in the summer
• sub-categories:
  • Longpod Broad Beans
    • traditionally had 8 beans in the pod
  • Windsors Broad Beans
    • traditionally had 4 beans in the pod
  • Modern cultivars of Broad Beans
    • bred to have 5-7 beans in the pod
    • produce shorter plants
    • have more tender beans
  • Dwarf Broad Beans
    • great for container gardens

Lima Beans

• tropical plants; require warm soil temperatures for germination, and grow best with hot summers & full sun
• also called butter beans, these have flat pods with beans that are large, green or white
• dwarfs & climbers are available
• follow growing recommendations for French Beans or Runner Beans

Black-eyed Peas

• aliases:
  • black-eyed beans
  • southern peas
  • crowder peas
  • cowpeas
  • field peas
• originally from Africa; grown world-wide today
• do very well in warm climates, like the southern US and Asia
• for germination, seeds require 70 degrees F
• must have a warm, 2-3 month growing season

Yardlong Beans

• can grow up to 3 feet long, but it's better to pick them before they get over 2 feet long
• also known as asparagus beans or Chinese long beans
• tropical plants; hard to grow outdoors in temperate climes
• climbers that grow very tall
• can be eaten fresh or cooked, just like french beans

Soybeans

• grown like french beans, but they need a warm climate
• they produce short green pods covered with downy hairs
• originated in Southeast Asia, but now grown worldwide
• need warm climate with hot summers (between 68 and 86 degrees F, consistently), but there are some cultivars which will tolerate cooler climates
• Dried, soybeans can be used just like any other dried beans
• fresh pods can be boiled or steamed

Sources: