Runner bean

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade can help in hot districts. Choose a position sheltered from strong winds.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist, especially during flowering and pod development; avoid waterlogged soil.

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil enriched with mature compost; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m), sometimes taller with a long growing season

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m) per climbing plant when supported

Flowers

Summer to early autumn; red, white, pink or red-and-white flowers, depending on the variety.

Foliage

Large green leaves divided into three pointed leaflets, carried on twining stems.

Growth

Fast

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   2 ft (0.6 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (1.1 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.5 m)

4. After 3 years

   6 ft (1.8 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Fast

• Install a sturdy trellis, bean frame or tall wigwam before planting; the mature foliage becomes heavy in wind.
• Sow or plant outside only after frost risk has passed and the soil has warmed.
• Water deeply during dry spells, especially once flowers and pods appear.
• Mulch moist soil with compost or another organic mulch to reduce drying.
• Avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages leaves at the expense of flowers.
• Pick young pods every few days before the seeds swell and the pods become stringy.

Pruning. Pinch out the growing tips when stems reach the top of their supports to encourage manageable side growth. After frost kills the foliage, cut the stems at soil level and remove them from the supports.

Pick young runner bean pods about 10–14 weeks after sowing, usually through summer and autumn until frost stops growth. Most varieties are ready at 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) long, while pods are tender and snap easily, before the seeds bulge or the pods become stringy. Pick every 2–3 days, snipping or pinching off pods while supporting the vine to avoid damaging it.

Early spring

Prepare the planting bed with mature compost and plan sturdy supports.

Mid-spring

Sow individual seeds in deep pots under cover a few weeks before your last expected frost.

Late spring

Harden off young plants and plant out after frost, or direct-sow into warm soil.

Early summer

Guide young stems onto supports, mulch the root zone and begin regular watering.

Summer

Harvest tender pods frequently and check shoot tips and leaf undersides for pests.

Autumn

Let selected healthy pods dry for seed if the weather allows; clear annual crops after frost.

• Train over a sturdy wigwam as a flowering focal point in a vegetable garden.
• Grow along a sunny fence or trellis for a temporary summer screen.
• Use on a strong arch between beds to combine flowers with an accessible harvest.
• Place behind lower annual flowers and herbs in a mixed edible border.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Pollinator garden and Family-friendly.

Plant it with: Pot marigold, Nasturtium, Sweet alyssum, Swiss chard, Lettuce and Borage.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees, including bumblebees; hummingbirds also visit red-flowered forms in North America. Some bees take nectar through holes at the flower base without pollinating it.

• Black bean aphids cluster on tender tips: check frequently, wash off small colonies and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
• Slugs and snails can destroy seedlings: inspect after dark, remove hiding places and use locally approved slug controls if needed.
• Red spider mites cause pale stippling and fine webbing in hot, dry conditions: keep plants watered and rinse leaf undersides regularly.
• Flowers drop without setting pods during heat, drought or poor pollination: maintain even moisture, avoid excessive nitrogen and provide afternoon shade in hot climates.

Raw or undercooked seeds contain lectins that can cause substantial nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea in people and may poison cats, dogs or horses if eaten. Do not feed raw beans to pets or livestock, and keep seed packets out of reach. Cook pods and seeds thoroughly before eating; dried seeds need soaking and proper boiling, not slow-cooking alone.

• Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

  Climbing forms have a similar habit, but generally have smaller flower clusters and smoother pods. Runner bean seedlings leave their seed leaves below ground, while common beans lift them above the soil.

• Hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus)

  Often has purple-tinged stems, purple or white flowers and broad, flattened, frequently purple pods rather than the long green pods typical of runner beans.

The species name coccineus means scarlet, referring to the flowers of the typical red-flowered form.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown directly into warm soil or in individual deep pots for transplanting. Save fully mature, dry seeds from healthy plants; varieties may cross-pollinate, so saved seedlings may differ from their parents.

Accepted botanical name

Phaseolus coccineus

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Nicaragua and Panamá.

Measured

Average height 141 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.