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Annual Biennial

Phaseolus coccineus 'Scarlet Emperor'

bean (runner) 'Scarlet Emperor'

A vigorous, twining climber grown as an annual, with bright green, heart-shaped leaves and orange-red flowers from early summer These are followed, from mid-summer, by straight, smooth, green pods up to 30cm long, eaten as runner beans while still immature

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Raw pods/beans harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs): Raw pods/beans harmful if eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Phaseolus are annual or perennial legumes, usually climbing or trailing in form, and with trifoliate leaves. Grown as crop plants for their edible seeds, including runner, French and lima beans, as well as for animal feed, green manures and as ornamentals
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Start from seed in a heated greenhouse or warm windowsill, and plant outside once all risk of frost has passed in a sunny, sheltered site. Incorporate bulky organic material into the soil before planting, and keep the soil moist when plants are flowering to ensure the beans set. Plants need substantial supports. See runner-bean cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Climber and wall shrubs
Wall side borders

Pruning

Remove shoot tips once they reach the top of the support

Pests

May be susceptible to black bean aphids. Young plants also need protection from slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to foot rot

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