Bean ID

[richardw]

I was given this bean to grow and was told it was called Cannellini, having looked it up on line i see it listed as a dwarf P. vulgaris, but what ive ended up with is clearly comes Phaseolus coccineus and grew tall, bumblebees were attracted to the flowers and the seed pods look that 'runner bean' look about them. The seed bean is huge and flat. I cant remember who the person was that gave them to me to go back and ask them about it, but hopefully someone may have a idea

[zeedman]

Yes, the true Cannellini is a bush P. vulgaris. I've seen a "Pole Cannellini" listed several times, and each time it was a white-seeded P. coccineus, similar or identical to the bean in your photos. There are many similar beans (such as Gigandes), they are generally used as a dry bean. The shellies are particularly impressive, very large, really eye catching.

[andyb]

I misread your question and thought that you were asking if it was a common or runner bean. In trying to make sure before saying anything, I came across a book from CIAT, available on Google Books, that talks through how to tell the species apart. The chapter "Differentiation among the four cultivated species of the genus Phaseolus" starts on page 24: The Cultivated Species of Phaseolus

I've grown several white runner beans that looked pretty much exactly like that. Most seem to be from southern Europe. For example, the Moldovanesti Buffalo Runner Bean I've been growing recently looks pretty much identical to your plant.

[richardw]

That Gigandes Bean certainly has the same white flowers and going by that photo of this person is holding the bean it doesn't grow many seeds per pod, my plants seem to have 3-4 seeds which would be one of the largest ive grown


I wanted to list this bean on our Sentinels website, so i could either list it as Pole Cannellini or Gigandes P. coccineus.

Greek Gigante Beans does sound good, might go with that.

[zeedman]

Hard to tell without scale, richardw , but the beans in the photo look just a little smaller than Gigandes. It could be similar or identical, though. There are several different varieties that appear identical to Gigandes... I believe the same bean might have been given different names, as it was carried across borders into other regions.

[richardw]

Hopefully this will give you a sense of scale, sorry dont have an inch ruler

[zeedman]

Yes, those beans appear to be a little smaller than Gigandes; I measured some, they were 25-30mm long dry (but not as nicely fattened as your beans). Those beans might get larger as they adapt to your conditions, especially since this was their first year. Gigandes is still in the process of adapting to my climate, after 3 seasons... it gets a little better each time.

[richardw]

If only i could remember the costumer who gave them to me was, i could then ask her more about them. All i remember was she said they came from a collection of her fathers and by the sound of it they were very old seed, so they have been NZ grown before i got them. I tell ya what though, they are amazing bean as they have flowered for three months solid. Ive listed them as Gigante on Sentinels website, would Gigandes be a better name to use zeedman