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.

Bean Plants with Pictures

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.

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

Pole Bean Plant

Benefits
  • Beans can be dried and stored for future use or consumption
  • It is ideal for hydroponic agriculture
  • Beans can help develop stronger bones because they contain considerable amounts of calcium
Uses
  • Seeds can be cooked or added to salads
  • Flowers can be used to garnish deviled eggs
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Requires a support structure that’s at least six feet high
  • Vines of the bean plant grow to a height between five and 10 feet
Care
  • Requires well-draining soils that are nutrient-rich
  • Prefers the full sun
  • Does well in temperatures that are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit

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

Bush Bean Plant

Benefits
  • Has antiscorbutic properties
  • Rich sources of vitamins A, C, and B2
  • Easy to grow, even for first-time plant enthusiasts
Uses
  • Whole plants, except woody stems are eaten
  • Used to boost nitrogen levels
  • Can aid weight loss in children
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Plants grow short as bushes
  • They don’t depend on trellises for support
  • Beans can be harvested within 40 to 60 days, which is relatively faster than the pole beans
Care
  • Full sun enhances optimal growth
  • Prefers soils that are nutrient-rich, with pH values that are between 6.0 and 6.8
  • Two watering sessions per week are good enough

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

Green Bean Plant

Benefits
  • Beans are rich in calcium and vitamin K, thereby aiding the development of stronger bones
  • They also have potent antioxidant properties
Uses
  • Seeds are edible, together with the tender pods
  • Used for healing wounds
  • Seeds contain B vitamin, which alleviates depression
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Plants have white flowers that are spotted with yellow or violet
  • Plants  have compound leaves that have central leaflets
  • Leaves can be purple or green in color
Care
  • Prefers soil pH between 6 and 7
  • Needs approximately two inches of water per square foot every week
  • Requires exposure to full sun for about six hours every day

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

Fava Bean Plant

Benefits
  • Consumption of beans may alleviate symptoms that are related to Parkinson’s disease
  • It’s alleged that its consumption can protect unborn children from birth defects
  • Is an immunity booster
Uses
  • Can lower levels of blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Used to enhance weight loss
  • Use to prepare soups, salads, fillings, sauces, stews and snacks
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Bushy bean plant that grows up to four feet
  • The flowers are white and are dotted with brown or black spots
  • Seeds come in green, white, purple and yellow colors
Care
  • Prefers loamy soils that are well-draining
  • Both partial shade and full sun are good enough to allow optimal growth
  • Based on temperature changes, add one or two inches of water on a weekly basis

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

Lima Bean Plant

Benefits
  • Has protective effects against anemia
  • Beans are rich sources of nutrients like vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and iron
  • Consumption of beans enhances heart health
Uses
  • Used to improve digestive health
  • Has a creamy flavor that makes it great for various food recipes
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Grows as a herbaceous bush or twining vine
  • Flowers are violet or white
  • Produces pods, each of which harbors two to four seeds
Care
  • Soils should be loosely structured, have even moisture distributions and a pH range of 6.0 to 6.8
  • An inch of water every week will keep the plant going
  • Soil temperatures should not be below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, while the air should be around 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit

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

Blue Lake Bean Plant

Benefits
  • Consumption of beans can boost the immune system because of the vitamin C that it contains
  • Improves stomach and heart health upon consumption
Uses
  • Has an unbeatable flavor and is widely used in the food industry
  • Beans are rich supplies of vitamins C and K
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Mature bean plants reach a height of between 18 and 24 inches and a width that is 12 to 24 inches
  • The plant has green pods that contain white seed
  • Bean pods can be anywhere between five and seven inches in length
Care
  • Grows best in temperatures that are above 65 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Soils should be preferably rich in organic matter, which aids fertility, and a loose structure that is well-draining
  • Needs full sun for the better part of the day

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

Runner Beans

Benefits
  • Rich in fiber so the beans can help to deal with indigestion
  • Reduces blood sugar and cholesterol levels
  • Beans could lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease
Uses
  • It can also be used for ornamental purposes due to its striking, bright-colored flowers
  • Used as a vegetable for consumption
Distinguishing characteristics
  • Similar to the common bean but different in that the runner bean’s roots are fleshy rhizomes
  • Produces scarlet flowers that grow rapidly
  • Pods are green, long, and flat
Care
  • Soils should be deep and fertile
  • Loves the full sun
  • Prefers temperatures that are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit

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

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