Vegetable
Scarlet Runner
S tier
Scarlet Runner is the iconic red-flowered runner bean—ornamental vines plus long green pods for the pot. Young pods slice well; mature beans are purple-black mottled when dried. Flavour is robust green bean with a slight mineral note. Harvest pods thin; leave some for dried beans or beauty. Hummingbirds love the flowers in the Americas. The name most people mean by runner bean.
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Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Allotment HarvestButter PepperClassic Slice BoilDried Bean ChiliFlower Garnish
Traits
Classic RunnerDual Ornamental FoodLong Green PodLong PodMottled Dry BeanOrnamentalScarlet BloomScarlet Flowers
History
GB
Scarlet Runner covered British cottage walls as flower and food.
GB
Victorian gardens standardised scarlet-flowered runners for the table.
GB
Scarlet Runner remained the default allotment climber bean.
Heritage gardens still featured Scarlet Runner for dual beauty and crop.