Available: Yes

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

Available: Yes

I am not sure of the provenance of these; I have grown them out for over 10 years. Interestingly, about one purple or brownish seed in 20 produces pure white seeds and some seeds produce white flowers. The hummingbirds and bees don't seem to care. If you would like a couple of pure white seeds with your order, please indicate so. I have a very limited quantity of the white seeds; the balance are spotted brown or dark purple. Days to maturity can be 70 to 120 depending on whether you want to use the beans fresh or seeds dried. I allow them to dry on the vine, thus the longer maturity.

Available: Yes

Available: Yes

Scarlet Runner Bean (70 days) P. coccineus Climbing beans often grown as a ornamental for their brilliant blossoms that attract hummingbirds. It bears large, showy sprays of bright scarlet flowers against green, heart-shaped foliage, followed by loads of slender pods about 8" long. Rapid climbers needing trellises, fences or poles; will grow to 18'. Runner beans are native to Mexico and Central America where they thrive in cool and humid upland terrain. Can be eaten either as snap or shell (95 days) beans. Beans are edible and delicious when young. Keep pods picked for continuous bloom. Edible Flowers: The flowers offer a mild and sweet flavor. Use them to garnish or in salads, soups, and desserts. Beautifully mottled purple and black seeds. Heirloom variety that is one of the oldest runner beans in existence. known as early as 1750 according to Miller's Dictionary, grown in 1791 by Thomas Jefferson and listed in America as early as 1822 by Thorburn. ~28 seeds/oz.

Available: Yes

varied shades of purple ranging from deep to light purple, a rich mixture of crossings, bears well in heat which most scarlet runners do not Matthias Andert, Burgenland Austria

Available: Yes

110 days, vines to 10', bears delicious red flowers for salads, large meaty, delicious "shelly" beans, if allowed to dry on the vine, large purple & navy-blue beans for baking

Available: Yes

One of the oldest, and most beautiful, runner beans in existence. Can be eaten as a young snap bean or as a dried bean. Good substitute for Lima bean in northern climate. Hummingbirds love the gorgeous red flowers. Pole habit.