Photo: Abraham A. Gómez LanderoCC BY 4.0

1 named cultivar

‘Italian Romano’Italian Romano Bean

fruit vegetable

Runner Bean

The Story

Plant Bio

Phaseolus coccineus, runner bean, is a rapid twining annual vine originally from the highlands of Central America, climbing six to ten feet in a season. Coarse leaves clothe the stems, orange to scarlet flowers open from midsummer to frost, and the edible green pods turn purple as they age over black seeds mottled with red.

It is grown as much for the flowers as for the crop, and hummingbirds work the scarlet trumpets all summer. Unlike the common bean it is a perennial in its native highlands and forms a tuberous root, so a plant left in frost-free ground regrows the following spring. Pick pods young; older ones turn stringy and tough quickly.

Uses & Benefits:

Scarlet flowers on a fast climber that will cover an arch or screen in a single season.

A heavy, long-cropping vegetable that keeps producing as long as it is picked.

Hummingbirds and bumblebees work the flowers throughout summer.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Fruit Vegetable

Height

72 inches

Width

24 inches

Light

Full Sun

Zones

5, 6, 7, 8

Water

Moderate to high

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Annual

Native To

Central American highlands

Toxicity

Beans toxic raw; safe cooked

Planting

How to Grow

Sow after all frost into warm soil.
Give it full sun and a tall support to climb.
Water freely and consistently once flowering starts.
Mulch to hold moisture at the roots.
Pick pods young and keep picking.
Cook the beans; do not eat them raw.

Pro Tip

Keep picking every few days — pods left on the vine stop it setting new ones, and they turn stringy within a week.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Give it a tall support 🪜
Water consistently while flowering 💧
Pick pods young and often 🫛
Cook the beans thoroughly 🍲

Don't

Sow into cold soil ❌
Let pods go over on the vine ❌
Eat the beans raw ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Harvest
Sow

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Vegetable garden on a tall supportEdible screen or archHummingbird and pollinator planting

Companion Plants

Sweet Corn Squash Nasturtium Marigold Borage

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Runner Bean questions

What zones can Runner Bean grow in?

Runner Bean is hardy in USDA Zones 5–8. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Runner Bean deer resistant?

Yes — Runner Bean is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Runner Bean bloom?

Runner Bean typically blooms in midsummer to frost through late summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Runner Bean need full sun?

Runner Bean does best in full sun (6+ hours).