Runner bean
Runner bean: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Runner bean, Phaseolus coccineus, belongs to the pea and bean family, Fabaceae. Despite its French name referring to Spain, it originates in the mountains of Mexico and Central America. It is distinct from the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, while combining the appeal of a vegetable with conspicuous flowers. The species includes many varieties, so its name does not guarantee one flower colour or one particular seed type.Most forms are vigorous climbers. Their stems twine around supports and often reach several metres, giving the plant a strong vertical presence in a garden. Compact dwarf selections also exist. The green foliage is made up of three fairly broad leaflets with a heart-like outline. This leafy growth can create a dense seasonal screen, occupying a very different volume from an ordinary dwarf bean grown close to the ground.The flowers occur in clusters and have the characteristic shape of legumes, with a large upper…
