Cannellini bean

[pugs]

A coworker was asking me about this bean today. She wants to grow some, but has found white runner beans and dry bush beans with this name. She is looking for the one used in minestrone soup.

Any one here know which one she is looking for?

Thanks for all the help and I hope this is an easier question the the tomato name spelling one.

Pugs

[raymondo]

I don't know that there is a specific variety grown for minestrone. I think any canellini type would do. For example, I have a bush type called Turco, which is a canellini type. There are probably others.

[flowerpower]

www.growitalian.com says they can be used fresh or dry. So it's a white seeded green bean?

[pugs]

Thanks fp. I'll get some of the bush dry beans then.

Pugs

[raymondo]

The Seeds from Italy site, listed above, lists both a bush (Canellini) and a pole (Spagna bianco) bean that would be suitable.

[pugs]

Thanks Ray,

I'm going to order both, along with some of the frying peppers for my neighbor.

Pugs

[paquebot]

Cannellini is a white kidney bean. As such, it's not much of a green bean except when very young. And, like all others of its type, a strong bush growth habit.

Martin

[pugs]

Martin,

Thanks! I'll just get the bush one then. By a strong bush growth habit, does that mean it could use some support?

Pugs

[paquebot]

I'll be growing Cannellini this year as I got 2 ounces of seed from Vermont Bean. I've marked 24" on the packet as growth habit and don't plan to give it any support. I grow Belizean Red and it is a strong kidney type also at 24" and needing no support.

Martin

[pugs]

Thanks again Martin.

Vermont Bean is one of the catalogs I didn't get this year. I think I'll go look for them on-line.

Pugs

[loki]

It's kidney shaped but not related to the red kidney bean. I hate red kidney beans, but love cannelini. Cannelini are much more tender and have a completely different taste and texture. They grow as large bush beans (red kidneys are smaller bushes). They would not be very good as 'green' beans (edible podded) as they quickly develop strings. However they do make excellent shelling beans (probably what some call green).

All you really need to do is buy some at the market and plant them. You need to grow a lot to make dry bean growing worthwhile however. A packet will net you a couple cups of dry beans! You need several rows to get enough for real use.

[paquebot]

May 27, 2009 11:13:26 GMT -5 loki said:

All you really need to do is buy some at the market and plant them. You need to grow a lot to make dry bean growing worthwhile however. A packet will net you a couple cups of dry beans! You need several rows to get enough for real use.

I darned well better get more than a couple cups of dry beans from a 2-ounce packet. If they don't return 15 pounds for that much, they ain't worth growing. Not many dry beans return less than 120:1.

Martin