Pole Bean Phaseolus vulgaris
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- FAZ-ee-oh-lus vul-GAIR-iss
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Beans are a warm-season vegetable in the bean family (Fabaceae). They are native to the tropical regions of the Americas. They were domesticated in pre-Columbian times, and hundreds of cultivars have been selected and bred over the years. Some cultivars are adapted to small geographic areas. The epithet, vulgaris, is Latin for "common."
Beans prefer full sun and fertile, well-drained soils. They may take a climbing, trailing, or bush-like form. Depending on the variety, they will require 6 to 12 feet of space in the garden, and seedlings should be transplanted once the first true leaves have emerged. Individual plants should be spaced between 6 inches and 3 feet apart. Pole beans require a climbing trellis, whereas bush bean cultivars are compact, like bushes, and do not need a climbing support. Harvest snap beans (green beans) regularly while young and tender to keep the plants producing. Beans grown for drying should be allowed to mature on the plant.
This genus is commercially divided into four categories, including wax beans, dry beans, shelling beans and popping beans. All beans are ecologically beneficial as they add much needed nitrogen back into the soil. They also enable better uptake of water and nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with fungi in the soil.
Beans make an excellent addition to a home vegetable garden. Bush beans are suitable for containers, and pole beans make excellent use vertical spaces.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Vegetable Garden with Pollinator Plants in Mt. Pleasant
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Rattlesnake'
Pole Snap Bean
- 'Rattlesnake'
- 'Rattlesnake'
- Tags:
![beans](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris1__x3UAPlsimAHZ.jpeg)
![Phaseolus vulgaris](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris2__lJxq6g8a7DGN.jpeg)
![climbing habit and leaves](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_h_OViiI6gROXUY.jpeg)
![climbing habit grouped together](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_b_D01qwycE6eGA.jpeg)
![flower](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_b_zO0craYCEwUF.jpeg)
![close up of flower](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_b_Hl3OcWTNOSHO.jpeg)
![Phaseolus vulgaris](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_v_G8IjGxaarwcu.jpeg)
![Phaseolus vulgaris](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_v_jnQZUSbn4FTI.jpeg)
![Phaseolus vulgaris var. nanus](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_v_xnI5RDotcn79.jpeg)
![Form](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris___akGUl2v3Uc4P.jpeg)
![Form](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_K_E5DdM8a9dy7e.jpeg)
![Leaves](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Phaseolus_vulgaris_X_nrK1b7LoUBl4.jpeg)
![Germinated Seed - Durham County, NC](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Germinated_Phaseolus_DZDP2TMdJZDu.jpeg)
![Sprouts - Durham County, NC](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Sprouts_Phaseolus_vu_4WP74t6n4LyM.jpeg)
![Dry Seeds in a Pod - Durham County, NC](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/Seeds_in_Pod_Phaseol_phpt1jD2thu5.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris1__Ku9FXYYzz6iG.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris2__zTX9N6LlPD0f.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_h_4unjOLy8IJBM.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_b_PAogTtXScxxH.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_b_ic5ITCY2m3hh.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_b_A3MAtaFQ1jBO.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_D_ol1xzftQ8ykk.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_R_LS1XivSzBEtv.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_v_8vha7Rwwn2mx.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_v_iA58MvomvRWg.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_v_IjSSeGyj819V.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris___pgeuloIaTiYW.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_K_JS5EzBiGTczC.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Phaseolus_vulgaris_X_7UyQpLIJ1WLQ.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Germinated_Phaseolus_QMTzKgMDf3Lu.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Sprouts_Phaseolus_vu_T0IF0s1AySDX.jpeg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/thumb_sm/Seeds_in_Pod_Phaseol_HPJU9W7PM69z.jpeg)
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Rattlesnake'
Pole Snap Bean
- 'Rattlesnake'
- 'Rattlesnake'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Phaseolus
- Species:
- vulgaris
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical America
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Vine
- Warm Season Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Erect
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Tendrils
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Good Dried
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The boat-shaped seed pods are bilaterally symmetrical and can be green, yellow, white, or purple at maturity. There is a wide variety of color and shape choices among cultivars.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are bilaterally symmetrical, pea-like, and can be shades of yellow, white, pink, or red.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Ternate in shape; three broadly ovate leaflets per leaf.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- The raw or undercooked beans (especially kidney beans) cause severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Usually resolves within a few hours.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Phytohaemagglutinin, a lectin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Seeds