French Bean, Kidney bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Phaseolus vulgaris is a ANNUAL growing to 2 m (6ft 7in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is frost tender. It is in leaf from May to October, in flower from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 2
Where it is found
Not known in a truly wild situation.
S. America? Original habitat is obscure.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 5
Immature seedpods - raw or cooked. The green pods are commonly used as a vegetable, they have a mild flavour and should only be cooked for a short time. When growing the plant for its seedpods, be sure to pick them whilst they are still small and tender. This will ensure the continued production of more pods by the plant. Flowering is reduced once the seeds begin to form inside the pods. The immature seeds are boiled or steamed and used as a vegetable. The mature seeds are dried and stored for future use. They must be thoroughly cooked before being eaten and are best soaked in water for about 12 hours prior to this. They can be boiled, baked, pureed, ground into a powder or fermented into 'tempeh' etc. The powdered seed makes a protein-enriching additive to flour, it can also be used in soups etc. The seed can also be sprouted and used in salads or cooked. The roasted seeds have been used as a coffee substitute. Young leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb. The very young laves are sometimes eaten as a salad, the older leaves are cooked.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Seedpod: things such as Okra, French and Runner beans.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The green pods are mildly diuretic and contain a substance that reduces the blood sugar level. The dried mature pod is used according to another report. It is used in the treatment of diabetes. The seed is diuretic, hypoglycaemic and hypotensive. Ground into a flour, it is used externally in the treatment of ulcers. The seed is also used in the treatment of cancer of the blood. When bruised and boiled with garlic they have cured intractable coughs. The root is dangerously narcotic. A homeopathic remedy is made from the entire fresh herb. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis, plus disorders of the urinary tract.
Antiarthritic: Treats arthritis.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Homeopathy: A plant used in homeopathic treatments.
Hypoglycaemic: Reduces the levels of sugar in the blood.
Hypotensive: Reduces blood pressure, it is used in the treatment of high blood pressure
Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.
Narcotic: Relieves pain, induces drowsiness and gives a sense of well-being.
Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).
Other
Rating: 2
A brown dye is obtained from red kidney beans. The plant contains phaseolin, which has fungicidal activity. Water from the cooked beans is very effective in reviving woollen fabrics. The plant residue remaining after harvesting the dried beans is a source of biomass.
Biomass: Provides a large quantity of plant material that can be converted into fuel etc.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Fungicide: Arrests the growth of, or kills, fungi.
Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
Requires a warm sunny position in a rich well-drained preferably light soil with plenty of moisture in the growing season. Dislikes heavy, wet or acid soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 to 6.5. The French bean is commonly cultivated in the temperate and subtropical zones and in montane valleys of the tropics for its edible mature seeds and immature seedpods. It is often grown to provide a major part of the protein requirement. A very variable plant, there are more than 1,000 named varieties ranging from dwarf forms about 30cm tall to climbing forms up to 3 metres tall. Plants are not frost-tolerant, air temperatures below 10°c can cause damage to seedlings. When grown for their edible pods, the immature pods should be harvested regularly in order to promote extra flower production and therefore higher yields. Yields of green pods averages about 3kg per square metre, though double this can be achieved. French beans grow well with strawberries, carrots, cauliflowers, cucumbers, cabbage, beet, leek and celeriac. They are inhibited by alliums and fennel growing nearby. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.
Propagating it: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow in mid spring in a greenhouse. Germination should take place within 10 days. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts. The seed can also be sown in situ in late spring though it may not ripen its seed in a cool summer.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness: 2-11
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Large quantities of the raw mature seed are poisonous. Children eating just a few seeds have shown mild forms of poisoning with nausea and diarrhoea, though complete recovery took place in 12 - 24 hours. The toxins play a role in protecting the plant from insect predation.
Its other names
Local names
Bush bean