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In the United States , runner beans are undervalued as an edible crop and usually grow as ornamental for their enceinte , showy , often scarlet - colored flowers . American horticulturalist Fearing Burr recognise their eat qualities in his 1863 bookField and Garden Vegetables of North America , put forward “ its note value as an esculent has not been mostly appreciated . ” This stay on-key today .
But in Great Britain and other European country like Germany and Holland , runner edible bean are far more popular , and their culinary merit as a snap noggin are well known . The teetotal beans are unremarkably eaten in areas of eastern Europe , especially ashen - seeded and white - flower varieties . According to the Garden Seed Inventory(7th version ) , 61 cum companies in the United States sell runner beans in 2015 , though most ( 41 ) only offered a single variety , usually ‘ Scarlet Runner . ’ In direct contrast , the British seed party Thompson and Morgan lean 18 different varieties in its 2017 catalog , and Sutton ’s Seeds offer 16 varieties . to boot , the Royal Horticultural Society has show its Garden of Merit award to 20 dissimilar varieties of Caranx crysos attic since 1932 , while not a unmarried contrabandist edible bean variety in the United States has been an All - America Selection .
Runner bean flowers beautify a teepee trellis at Seed Savers Exchange’s Heritage Farm.
Adaptation to cool conditions makes runner beans well suited to Great Britain ’s climate and has perhaps contribute to their want of world-wide popularity across the United States . Temperatures above 85 degree F keep fertilization of ovules and thus suppress yield set , making them tough to uprise outside the Pacific Northwest and northeastern United States . In addition , runner beans involve pollinator , especially bee , to set fruit . Other area with coolheaded microclimates , such as the Great Lakes region , would be contributive to growing base runner beans .
A standout miscellanea from the Seed Savers Exchange collection is ‘ Kelvedon Marvel , ’ which was grown last year for evaluation at Heritage Farm . This miscellanea was donated by John Withee and the Wanigan Associates , but grow with the British seed fellowship Thompson and Morgan . Participants in the Seed Exchange have also consistently share this mixed bag over the last 20 years , and it ’s no wonder . We were very impressed with its flavour , describing it as sweet , fruity , and apple- or grape - alike . It is earlier ripen than other varieties and has beautiful scarlet flowers and purple - and - black mottled seed . Overall yields of the clustered , comparatively short pods were good too . During the ironical leguminous plant tasting at the Seed Savers Exchange Winter on the Farm event , ‘ Kelvedon Marvel ’ was a top - two bunch favorite for perceptiveness among 11 legume ( the other top favorite was another runner dome variety named ‘ Black Coat ’ ) . In oecumenical , the snap beans are larger , coarser in grain , and more strongly flavored than vernacular beans , and the dry beans taste similar to kidney bean .
Other pop varieties of blue runner beans include ‘ Painted Lady amend , ’ ‘ Scarlet Runner , ’ and ‘ Sunset Runner . ’
Runner bean flowers beautify a teepee trellis at Seed Savers Exchange’s Heritage Farm.
Part of our work at Seed Savers Exchange includes growing out and documenting varieties from our collection . These rating avail us learn more about the varieties and expand our documentation of potpourri and whole crop type . Some of these evaluated miscellany go on to be offered in our catalogue , while others are made uncommitted in theExchangeonline seed barter , open to all .
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The ‘Kelvedon Marvel’ runner bean lives up to its name in beauty and taste.
Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization consecrate to the preservation of heirloom semen .
