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caflowerluver

Striped bean name?

caflowerluver
15 years ago

I have been growing them since 1986. I got the seeds from a neighbor, who got them when he visited Italy in 1977. They are purple striped, grow very tall and produce a lot of beans. Even when they get very big they are still tender and are stringless. I am just wondering what to call them when I do trades. Someone suggested Rattlesnake but that has strings and this one doesn't even when very large.

Thanks.

Clare

{{gwi:112829}}

Comments (9)

  • farmerdilla
    15 years ago

    Ther are quite a few striped cultivars but most of them have strings. Lady of the Field ( Seeds of Italy) fits your description as it is touted as stringless.

  • caflowerluver
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the name. I looked it up and it says, "Climbing, stringless green pods with red striations. Meaty, slightly curved pods." These have dark purple stripes and are straight, rarely ever curved so not sure if they are them or not.
    Clare

  • P POD
    15 years ago

    Clare, thanks for posting the pic and bringing a new bean to the attention of the bean-forum readers.

    I'd like to know more, and hope you have time to answer some questions....
    ÂAs a snap, does it have an assertive beany taste, or is it mild tasting?
    ÂWhen mature, what color and size are the seeds?
    ÂAt the mature stage, do the pods change color and become red striped? (If so, do you think it's a Borlotto bean? Just a wild guess, not knowing whether Borlotti ever are stringless snaps). Ingegnoli's web site lists a few. (Assuming "nano" are bush.) Seeds of Italy (GB) lists quite a few bush types, but the descriptions are lackluster.

    ÂAre your stripers good shellies?
    ÂGood cooked as dry beans?

    ÂAny pics of mature, dry pods and seeds that you could post?

    ÂAnd do your stripers freeze well (as snaps), or perhaps not so well?

    Looking forward to hearing more about your unique bean.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ingegnoli bush beans

  • caflowerluver
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    As a snap, does it have an assertive beany taste, or is it mild tasting?
    I would say it has a strong green bean taste but not overpowering. It gets milder after cooking but still tastes like a green bean, steamed is the way I prefer. BTW, they completely loose their purple stripes when they are cooked.

    ÂWhen mature, what color and size are the seeds?
    They can get 5-8" long and 1/2" wide for eating. They get a little bigger when I let them go to seed.

    ÂAt the mature stage, do the pods change color and become red striped?
    They are all green when very very small. But they do seem to get dark purple stripes fairly early on.

    (If so, do you think it's a Borlotto bean? Just a wild guess, not knowing whether Borlotti ever are stringless snaps). Ingegnoli's web site lists a few. (Assuming "nano" are bush.) Seeds of Italy (GB) lists quite a few bush types, but the descriptions are lackluster.
    I haven't checked out these sites yet.

    ÂAre your stripers good shellies?
    They are easy to shell once they are dry.

    ÂGood cooked as dry beans?
    I don't know because I have never cooked them as dry beans. I usually save just enough for trades and planting. I was surprised when I found some from the previous year.

    ÂAnd do your stripers freeze well (as snaps), or perhaps not so well?
    Again don't know because I have never had that much where I had to freeze them. We eat them all fresh. I grow them in staggered plantings.

    ÂAny pics of mature, dry pods and seeds that you could post?
    Here are bean seeds comparing years. Maybe growing conditions influenced size and color. The earlier were darker and slightly bigger, 5/8"X3/8".

    {{gwi:112830}}

    Close up of both year's beans. You can see they do sort of look like pinto beans.

    {{gwi:1033112}}

    Hope all that helps.
    Clare

  • farmerdilla
    15 years ago

    I have been operating under the assumption from your first post in the vegetable forum that these are pole beans. If indeed, they are bush beans that opens a whole new area of exploration. I have also been keying on "stringless" and "Italian". Sandhill sells one named Uncle Steves Italian Pole. I have not grown it but the description matches the Italian "Lady of the Field" discussed earlier. Appearance of both pods and the seed match Rattlesnake, But the fact that it was originally obtained in Italy adds to the confusion. Italian seed companies do of course sell North American cultivars just like North American companies sell European cultivars. If it is a pole bean "stringless" becomes the key word, because there are less stringless than string in the category. Selma Zebra has the same physical appearance but is stringy as all get out.

  • caflowerluver
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    They are POLE beans and can grow as tall as 8-10FT. As to origin, I can only go by what my neighbor told me in 1986. That he got them from a farmer when traveling in Italy in 1977. And they are stringless, I paid special attention when I ate some last night.
    Clare

  • appaloosa909
    15 years ago

    Hey Clare,
    Told you this was the place to come and ask your question!
    :)
    Andrea

  • cbaker_2006
    15 years ago

    I have a bean that is almost exactly like this, has jet black shiny seeds. Very good & very prolific. I have grown it for about 10 yr. Originaly got seed from someone near Hampton, Ga.,They have grown it for many years. They call it PaPa Jim Bean. Anyone know another name for it? Thanks
    C.Baker

  • rxkeith
    15 years ago

    they are similar in color to my great uncle steves beans, but these aren't them. uncle steves aren't as bumpy, and are slightly curved at the end. seeds are lighter in color, with pinkish purple whorls. vines will get well in excess of 10 ft if you let them. i'm always keeping my eyes and ears open for some old italian gardener growing something similar from the old country. haven't found them yet. enjoy those beans.

    keith

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