Beans: Phaseolus coccineus 'Painted Lady'

description for "Beans: Phaseolus coccineus 'Painted Lady'"

This rare ornamental runner bean is a true antique, dating back to the 19th century. The vines readily climb 8 to 10 feet up any vertical support, creating a wonderful flowering screen. ‘Painted Lady’s edible blossoms are uniquely bicolored with coral and creamy pink petals, especially pretty against the deep green foliage. Let some flat bean pods mature and enjoy their wonderfully marked mocha and chocolate bean seeds displayed handsomely in glass jars for cooking dried bean dishes all winter. Always wait until weather is warm before planting seeds so beans will germinate and grow well. Keep bean vines well watered. In very hot climates, beans will flower but not set pods until weather moderates in fall. Both the crispy bean flavored blossoms and the flat green pods are deliciously edible; let some of the pretty purple and black beans mature in their pods to use for tasty dry bean recipes. 'Painted Lady' refers to the coloring of the flowers; with blush salmon standards, or upper petals, and white falls, or lower petals, much like a roughed face. The flowers are especially nice as a garnish and share a sweet beany flavor with the light green pods. They bloom quickly from seed and make a glorious show. -- edited by dtd pbcouchman

History:

Phaseolus coccineus is native to the tropical Americas.