VEGETABLES / RUNNER-BEAN
Vigorous climbing vines produce prolific numbers of scarlet flowers and green pods. Pods can be eaten as a green bean. Pods 7-11 inches long. 4-6 seeds per pod. Seeds are a beautiful, glossy purple color with black mottling and have delicious flavor. Highly productive. Donated to SSE in 1981 by bean collector John Withee of Lynnfield, Massachusetts and the Wanigan Associates. John Withee acquired this variety from Ernest Dana (NH DA E). Withee described this variety as an old time favorite. A variety by this name was found referenced in a publication called “The Vegetables of New York” by U.P. Hedrick published by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1928. Hedrick believed that it was first recognized widely as a vegetable about 1750 but was likely known well before this time. It may have be the same variety first listed by Thorburn & Sons Catalogue as early as 1822. SSE Accession # 118937
SSE Accession: 118937
4