Plant types

Plant styles

Planting conditions

Seasonal interest

Nurseries & Gardens

Photo by Kristine Paulus

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Show all photos

Scarlet Runner Bean

Scientific Name: Phaseolus coccineus 'Scarlet'

Also Known As

Phaseolus multiflorus

Plant type

vine, annual / biennial, fruit / vegetable

size

H: 9'-15'
W: 3'-5'

planting zones

8a-10b

Scarlet Runner Bean plant details

Scarlet Runner Bean is a broadleaf deciduous annual / biennial fruit / vegetable or vine with green foliage. In fall and summer orange flowers emerge. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun and even moisture - regular water. Does well in rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Scarlet Runner Bean

Plant type: annual / biennial fruit / vegetable or vine
Plant family: fabaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 3 FT - 5 FT - wide, 9 FT - 15 FT - tall
Flowers: orange blooms in fall and summer
Uses: easy-to-grow, edible, heirloom, trellis

GROWING CONDITIONS for Scarlet Runner Bean

USDA Zones: 8a - 10b
Sun exposure: sun
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: verticillium wilt
Soil needs: rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

The perfect marriage of beauty and utility, this runner bean has brilliant red trusses of bloom that are delicious added to salads, and edible beans in this heirloom variety common before 1750. Pick beans often and while young and enjoy the classic 'beany' flavor. Use a trellis for support and cover with netting while young if you have rabbits or deer, or grow on a tripod of saplings for an authentic colonial garden vignette.

By: Select Seeds

Quite a looker for a bean! By far the most ornamental of edible beans, 1" fiery red-orange flowers bloom in clusters & make a spicy pairing with the fresh green foliage. Growing from 10-15' in a season, the beans are best when picked very young & (IMPORTANT!) they MUST BE cooked before you eat them. "Scarlet Runner Beans" also just happen to be one of the highest producing beans you can grow. If you leave the pods to mature, you can save & store the seeds for future crops or cook them like you would any dry bean. Most grow it as an annual, but it's actually perennial in very mild climates. Full sun, rich soil & support to climb on are what it needs.