Is anyone interested in growing out some Phaseolus dumosus accessions from the USDA? They are said to originate in the highlands of Guatemala as a hybrid between P. vulgaris and P. coccineus with other possibly hybridizations. I am trialing to see how they do in my conditions in which runner beans struggle because it is more closely related to the common bean which does better for me.
Here are some photos of two accessions I am looking at. I would only take 5-6 seeds from each and pass the rest on since I only need to use a few to see how they do. I am looking at these two since there was the most diversity of seed types in the photo.
Some accessions contain tuberous or mixed with tuberous and fibrous root systems, meaning they may be similar to some runner beans in being perennial. These two accessions are not but I could try adding another or changing one.
All the accessions I have looked at are day-length sensitive which I am guessing means they flower beginning around 12 or so hrs of day-length being from near the equator. This might not make them suitable for short season locations.
I would love to try some of them! I have filled half my front yard fence with runner beans. I could fill the other half with these and compare them side-by-side!
You know, finding out that they grow edible tubers now gives me a new goal for my runner bean landrace. (Grin.) I live in zone 7, so in theory I can probably find something in the species that will live through the winter and grow back, especially if I mulch it well (which I will anyway, to keep the soil moist in summer).
If I can grow a landrace that grows me lots of beans in summer and has lots of big tubers that could be dug up as food in the winter, that would be awesome! Especially since they’re so pretty, on top of it.
This is great! I’ll do a little more looking for accessions with tuberization and make the order soon. If anyone wants to take a look themselves at accessions and see something they like let me know.
The seeds came in today! There are 3 accessions. If you all will pm me your addresses that will be great. If you have limits on what you can grow, let me know as well.
Do you what their DTM is likely to be? And is my cool summer/long season good for them? I want to grow these if they’re not used to lots of summer heat…
I do not know their DTM. There honestly isn’t much info on them. I think your cool weather would be better for them than mine. In and around their homeland, temperatures are more moderate, in the 60s-80s during the day. I’d be happy to send you a few.
Thank you everyone who volunteered to plant out seeds of these accessions. If you want to record data together, I put together a spreadsheet you can add to. I hope these seeds do well for you.
I sent Lowell a scan from the original 1957 report on 195336. It differs from the current USDA database entry. Could this be a transcription error by the folks that put together the database?
I did note that the 195336 beans were a lot smaller physically as compared to the other two packets of beans.
If you use the new USDA database you see a link at the bottom called “View original Plant Inventory data in pdf format” – this takes you to a scan of the same 1957 report I posted that lists 195336 as a Snail bean.
I haven’t seen any germination yet. I’ll try removing the mulch before the rain we’re due to get later this week, just in case the problem is not enough moisture in the soil for them currently.
