Merkel Grey Stripe

This family heirloom green bean is inherently a little variable. Pods are very long and thick in general, but some are flatter and shorter. The pods are straight, green, and generally 7-10" long. Pods develop a purple blush and/or purple stripes to varying degrees as they mature. 6-8 seeds per pod. Seeds are grey speckled with black stripes and crescent shaped. Some variation in seed colors as well. Plants are vigorous climbers. Dark green leaves. Flowers purple. Above average productivity. Mid-season. Donated to SSE by John Staples (NY ST J) who received this variety from Ann Fuller (IN FU A). She appears to have introduced the beans into the 1991 SSE Yearbook Exchange where she stated that a friend of the Merkel family gave he the bean. It has been in the Merkel family of Indiana for nearly a century. At that time the remaining Merkel brother was in his 90s. SSE Accession # 105293