Oscar Vicars Fall

Strongly climbing pole bean with dense foliage and delicious tasting dry beans. White flowers produce dry beans that are large, plump and beautiful. Outstanding, smooth texture. Beans are white with deep maroon spot and speckles. Green beans are also edible but even though the donor describes them as "tender-hulled," we found them to be rather tough. Pods are long and J-hooked. 4-6 seeds per pod. Late maturing. Average productivity at Heritage Farm in 2023. Donated to SSE in 1981 by bean collector John Withee of Lynnfield, Massachusetts and the Wanigan Associates. John received this variety from Silas Gilliam of Virginia in the late 1970s. At that time, Silas stated that Mr. Oscar Vicars (who passed away 40 or 50 years earlier), used to raise these beans in Wise Co., Virginia in about 1900. Mr. Vicar's then 80 year-old son, remembered these beans when he was very small. SSE Accession # 101515