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15 of the Best Types of Pole Beans | Gardener’s Path
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8. Kentucky Wonder
A multi-use marvel, this next option is a survivor of heatwaves and plant pathogens.
‘Kentucky Wonder’ is a highly productive, open-pollinated heirloom variety from the 1800s that can be used for fresh eating, shelling, and drying.
This cultivar of P. vulgaris produces green pods that reach nine inches long and are curved, with an oval-shaped cross section.
These tasty pole bean pods are stringless at under five inches, have excellent flavor, and contain brown seeds.
‘Kentucky Wonder’ produces vines that reach five to seven feet long, and plants are resistant to bean common mosaic virus (race 1) and rust.
This heat-tolerant variety matures in around 63 days.
Tasty and disease resistant – yes, please! – ‘Kentucky Wonder’ is available for purchase in packs of 25 grams (or approximately 40 seeds) at Botanical Interests.
9. Monte Gusto
No one said veggies had to be boring, and our next selection is living proof.
With a name that means “mountain of taste,” ‘Monte Gusto’ is an open-pollinated variety of P. vulgaris that has tasty, yellow pods with purple veins.
The bright yellow pods of ‘Monte Gusto’ are easy to spot, should be picked at five to six inches long, and are sweet, flavorful, and crunchy, containing brown seeds.
The vines of ‘Monte Gusto’ reach six feet tall and are resistant to bean common mosaic virus (race 1).
Early for a yellow pole bean variety, this cultivar matures in 55 to 58 days.
Pile a mountain of taste into your harvest basket – look for ‘Monte Gusto’ in packets of 200 seeds at Burpee.
10. Orient Wonder
If your interest is piqued by unusual garden crops, you’ll want to consider this next selection.
‘Orient Wonder’ is an open-pollinated cultivar of Vigna sesquipedalis, the species commonly known as yard-long or asparagus bean.
Related to black-eyed peas and mungs, this pole bean variety is excellent for fresh eating.
The tasty pods of ‘Orient Wonder’ are pencil-thin, dark green, and super long – although they can reach 30 inches long, they should be picked at 12 to 18 inches for the best quality.
Delectable pods are smooth, tender, and stringless, containing small brown seeds.
The vines of ‘Orient Wonder’ produce purple flowers and vines that reach six to eight feet long.
If you’ve tried growing yard-longs before and failed, ‘Orient Wonder’ may be your ticket to success. While other varieties of yard-longs need warmer temperatures, ‘Orient Wonder’ can set fruit in cooler conditions.
‘Orient Wonder’ is a hardy variety, tolerating hot, cool, dry, and humid weather, and reaching maturity in approximately 80 days.
Ready to bring a bit of Eastern fascination to your veggie garden? You’ll find ‘Orient Wonder’ available for purchase in packets of 20 seeds at Botanical Interests.
Learn more about growing yard-long beans in our article. (coming soon!)
11. Qing Bain
Have a short growing season but you’re looking for big flavor? Feast your eyes on our next option.
‘Qing Bain’ is a Romano-type, open-pollinated heirloom cultivar of P. vulgaris that dates back to the 1800s.
The delicious, bright green pods of this variety are flat, and can be picked at up to 12 inches long and one inch wide.
‘Qing Bain’ is productive, producing flavorful, stringless, tender pods that are great for fresh eating or freezing. These contain white seeds.
The vigorous plants of this variety produce a harvest 50 to 55 days after sowing.
Have a hankering for this tender veggie? Purchase ‘Qing Bain’ seeds in packs of seven grams, four ounces, one pound, or five pounds at True Leaf Market.
12. Rattlesnake
If this next variety bites, you will be the smitten type of bitten.
This colorful variety of P. vulgaris is a sight to behold and can be enjoyed for fresh eating, shelling, or drying.
An open-pollinated heirloom cultivar, ‘Rattlesnake’ is known for its green pods mottled with attractive splashes of purple.
The pods are delicious, juicy, and tender, and should be picked at eight inches long or less. These turn solid green when cooked, and hold up beautifully for freezing.
The dry seeds of this variety have a rattlesnake-like coloration – light brown graced with dark brown patterns – and they’re great for storage as dried beans.
This pole bean cultivar was established in hot Southern weather and is tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought, but it doesn’t perform as well in Northern climates.
Producing pods in 65 days, ‘Rattlesnake’ vines reach 10 feet tall.
Ready to turn the tables and sink your teeth into these snakes? Get ‘Rattlesnake’ seed in an assortment of package sizes, from one ounce up to 40 pounds, at High Mowing Organic Seeds.
13. Scarlet Emperor
Every garden needs a star of the show – and this next option might be yours.
Often grown as an ornamental for its showy blooms, ‘Scarlet Emperor’ is a variety of P. coccineus, a legume commonly known as the runner bean.
Runners are known for their striking red flowers that attract friendly pollinators such as hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.
This species can be planted a bit earlier than cultivars of P. vulgaris since runners don’t mind cooler weather.
‘Scarlet Emperor’ is a variety that produces sweet, slightly fuzzy, green pods, which can be used for fresh eating when picked at up to six inches long.
However, the pods of this cultivar can reach up to 12 inches long if allowed to mature, producing large seeds that can be used for shelling or dry storage.
The seeds are stunning – they are a mottled magenta and purplish blue when fresh, drying to a gorgeous black and purple.
Vines reach eight to 10 feet tall with orangish-red flowers, and they make an excellent living screen.
‘Scarlet Emperor’ produces fresh pods that are ready to pick in approximately 75 days.
Ready to let fly a wall of imperial red flowers? You’ll find ‘Scarlet Emperor’ seeds available for purchase in packets of 25 grams at Botanical Interests.
14. Snow on the Mountain
If there is snow on your nearby mountaintops during the cooler months, this next selection’s harvest will help you stay warm all winter long.
‘Snow on the Mountain’ is a lima bean cultivar with a pole growth habit.
Also known as “butter beans,” limas are scientifically classified as P. lunatus, making them cousins of P. vulgaris. Limas include both bush and pole bean cultivars, and ‘Snow on the Mountain’ is one of the climbers.
This open-pollinated heirloom variety dates back as least as far as the 1860s, and produces curved and slightly twisted green pods that are harvested for shelling or drying.
The pods of ‘Snow on the Mountain’ reach four to four and a half inches long and contain three or four sweet and nutty seeds.
The tasty seeds of this variety are fairly small for limas, with a black eye surrounded by a snowy field of white on a dark maroon background – and they are excellent for dry storage.
Expect plants of this variety to grow to at least six feet tall, and to produce a harvest in roughly 80 days.
A rare cultivar, look for ‘Snow on the Mountain’ from heirloom seed sellers.
And if adding more limas to your garden patch sounds like a brilliant idea, you can discover more lima bean varieties in our article.
15. Yellow Bai Bu Lao
Finally, our last selection offers just one more fantastic option in a collection of colorful cultivars.
‘Yellow Bai Bu Lao’ is an open-pollinated heirloom pole bean variety of P. vulgaris from China that produces flavorful, pale green pods which lighten to whitish-yellow as they mature.
The romano-style pods are flat with wavy edges. They contain white seeds, and reach a half an inch wide and 10 to 12 inches long.
The delicious pods of ‘Yellow Bai Bu Lao’ are tender, growing large without developing strings or becoming fibrous. They are borne on five- to eight-foot-tall vines.
‘Yellow Bai Bu Lao’ is hardy, tolerant of cool weather, and reaches maturity in 55 to 60 days.
Tempted by these pale and tender beauties? You’ll find ‘Yellow Bai Bu Lao’ seeds available for purchase in packs of 20 grams, four ounces, one pound, or five pounds at True Leaf Market.
The Talk of the Beanstalk
We’ve encountered a lot of pole bean options – green, yellow, purple, and mottled varieties, cultivars that produce a harvest in just 50 days, and others that need a more leisurely 80 days.
There are pencil-thin, stringless types, and others that have big, wide pods.
You also have a choice of flavors that are nutty, meaty, or mushroomy.
And of course there’s the cultural heritage that some of these heirloom pole bean varieties bring with them – some with strong Southern or Midwestern roots, others with Asian origins.
The thing to keep in mind is that a wise choice of pole bean variety is one with an appealing color, flavor, and texture combo that is also a perfect match for the length of your growing season.
Choose well and your bumper crop might attract fans from near and far – maybe even a friendly giant or two. (Psst – plant extra seeds, just in case!)
Are any of these pole bean varieties already among your favorites? Are there any other pole cultivars that hold a special place in your heart?
We especially love stories of varieties passed down throughout the ages, so feel free to tell us your heirloom cultivar stories here – share your thoughts in the comments section below.
After exploring these 15 options, do you still have beans on the brain? If you’d like to keep learning more about how to grow legumes for your dinner plate, we have even more fodder for your homegrown food fascination right here:
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Kristina Hicks-Hamblin
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