Types of bean plants with pictures will clearly give you an idea of the available choices that are popular for their taste and many uses. Beans are one of the most protein-rich plant-based foods that have ever existed.
This article will take you through some aspects that will help you to differentiate between the different bean plant varieties and choose the right one for your garden.
Contents
A List of Types of Bean Plants With Pictures You Could Grow This Year
Various types of bean plants with pictures will show you the parent plants that produce different bean varieties. All these plants are legumes that belong to the Leguminoceae or Fabaceae family. Generally, all bean varieties fall into two classes, which are pole beans and bush beans. So, whether you talk about the mung beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, as well as the winged bean, they all fall under these two broad types.
1. Pole Bean Plant
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One of the advantages that come with growing pole beans is that you make maximum use of the space that is available. This means that all the space that would have been taken by spreading beans would be used to plant more pole beans.
As a result, growing a pole bean plant may see you getting a harvest that is three times more than that of bush beans, for example. Also, pole beans are far much easier to harvest.
2. Bush Bean Plant
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The pods that are formed from bush bean plants can be purple, green, or yellow. Bush beans also contain fiber that aids good digestion, besides being very tasty.
3. Green Bean Plant
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Sometimes, green beans are also called string beans or snap beans. This type of bean has its origins in Central and South America. The varieties of snap beans that are known exceed 130, and that means a lot of different green bean plants. Green bean plants can be affected by sucking pests such as aphids which is why you should plant some companion plants next to your green beans.
4. Fava Bean Plant
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The fava beans are commonly known as the “broad beans” because of their seeds, which are not only flat but broad, too. They can be eaten as cooked, fresh, or dry beans. Did you also know that fava beans are used to make flour in Ethiopia? Well, that flour is the basis of the vegetarian dish called Hilibet, which includes onions, garlic, green pepper and other spices as ingredients.
5. Lima Bean Plant
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Did you know that lima beans are one of the plants that have been grown in Peru for a long stretch of time – around 9,000 years? This partly explains the name of the plant, considering that Lima is the capital city of Peru.
The lima beans are also called “lunatus,” which literally means “half moon.” This name is linked with the shape of the bean seed, which appears like a half-moon.
6. Blue Lake Bean Plant
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This bean version exists both as a bush and a pole plant. Botanically, blue lake beans are categorized as Phaseolus vulgaris because they are a type of snap beans. The term “blue lake beans” was derived from California’s Blue Lake District because that’s where this type originated from. Other popular varieties of this plant are found in the United States.
7. Runner Beans
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Runner beans are also called Phaseolus coccineus. One of the interesting facts about the runner beans is that the plants twine in a clockwise direction, unlike other beans that go anticlockwise. Another unique fact is that the cotyledons of the runner beans are under the soil, not above, as is the case with other bean types. The bright flowers of the plant effectively attract pollinators such as hummingbirds.
Conclusion
Certainly, there are many bean varieties, as you might have discovered by going through this article.
Here’s a quick rundown of the main points once more:
- Bean plants fall into two main broad categories, which are the bush and pole beans, but there are some that fit both groups.
- All bean plants, despite the slight or vast differences, belong to the Fabaceae family.
- Some of the common types of bean plants are the fava, blue lake, green and lima beans.
- The runner beans are unique for their bright and attractive flowers and in that they twine in a clockwise direction as they go up a pole or any other support.
- The bean seeds are excellent sources of nutrients, especially proteins, fiber, and vitamins.
Hopefully, you have gone through a process of learning that will assist you in making the best choices of bean plants to grow in your garden! If you really like how green beans look like there are a few succulents that look like Green Beans!
References
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-grow-green-beans
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-green-beans#
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-bush-beans-and-pole-beans
- https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/research-reports/fava_bean_guide_2.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/lima-beans
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-grow-and-harvest-lima-beans-in-your-garden
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-lima-beans
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