Loeffler Pole

Pole bean, vigorous with a strong twining tendency. Dark pink flowers. Green immature pods develop faint dark purple stripes and blushing as they mature. Straight, flat pods have a medium beak. Mature pods averaged 5" long by 0.4" in 2012 drought year at Heritage Farm, though a few pods were much longer. Pods regularly grow 10" long, according to donor. Stringless. Snap bean. Standard productivity. Leathery dry pods average 6-8 seeds per pod. Black bean with a meaty and somewhat grainy texture. Early-mid season maturing. This variety was donated to SSE in 2007 by Vivienne & Wayne Gossman. They began growing the beans in 2004 after receiving seeds from Vivienne's aunt and uncle, Doris & George Kahler in Hood River, Oregon. This variety was grown by George's stepfather, Walter Loeffler, of Portland, OR. Walter was Vivienne's grandpa and he worked as a gardener for some of the elite in Portland. In 1957, Vivienne and Wayne visited grandpa Walter and the sight of the beans climbing to the top of Walter's garage made and impression on Wayne. The family story says the beans came from Walter's mother in Germany, either before Walter immigrated to the U.S. or shortly thereafter (circa 1920). SSE Accession # 129173