Photo: "Feuerbohnen in Blüte" by Maja Dumat
· CC BY 2.0
Vegetable · Pole-bean
Scarlet Runner Bean
Fabaceae
ORNAMENTAL + EDIBLE. Spectacular scarlet flowers attract hummingbirds and bees. 10-20 ft vines. Perennial in zones 7-11 (tuberous roots like dahlias). Best in cool summers — fewer pods set above 90°F. Pacific Northwest, coastal, and high-elevation ideal. Hypogeal germination. Edible flowers, pods, beans. Harvest pods at 4-6 inches for snap beans.
At a Glance
Days to Maturity
60–70 days
Sun
6+ hours
Container
Not Ideal
5+ gallon pot
Height
10–20 ft
Zone Planting Guide
Growing Guide
Germination
Germination Time
7–14 days
Optimal Temp
65°F
Seed Depth
1"
Watering
Weekly Water
1 "
Needs
Moderate
Soil
pH Range
6–7
Support
Sturdy trellis or arbor
Resilience
Heat: Medium
Cold: Low
Drought: Medium
Nutrition
Feeding Intensity
Light feeder
Harvest
Storage
Harvest pods young for snap use; older pods become fibrous (beans can also be shelled/dried).
Companion Planting
Good Companions
Silver queen sweet corn
Classic companion; beans can benefit from corn as a living trellis in mixed plantings.
Avoid Planting Near
Green onion scallion
Alliums are commonly listed as poor companions for beans.
Softneck garlic
Alliums are commonly listed as poor companions for beans.
Sources
seed-catalog
Baker Creek / Rare Seeds
seed_catalog
Seeds 'n Such
seed_catalog
Outsidepride
university
Virginia Cooperative Extension — Companion Planting in Gardening (SPES-620)
university
UC Master Gardener Program (UC Davis) — Companion Planting Chart
More Vegetables
Scarlet Runner Bean Planting Dates by Zone
Planting dates for Scarlet Runner Bean vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.
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