Phaseolus coccineus 'Red Rum'

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bean (runner) 'Red Rum'

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A runner bean with red flowers followed by tasty, straight, smooth, fleshy pods, on average about 22cm long and 1.5cm wide when picked, and stringless when young, and if seeds are allowed to develop they are pink mottled with black; its flowers will set even at fairly high temperatures, it crops early, and gives a high yield. Runner beans, Phaseolus coccineus, are nitrogen-fixing herbaceous perennials, usually grown as annuals, which climb by twining stems up to 4m high, with leaves divided into three ovate to heart-shaped green leaflets up to 15cm long, and racemes of many white, pink, red, or two-tone flowers, up to 3cm long, from midsummer, which are pollinated by bees and followed by edible seedpods from late summer until the first frosts.

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–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)
H2

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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

Sow seed 5cm deep, either directly outside in early summer, or under glass in early spring then plant out in early summer, after all danger of frost has passed, in full sun and in well-drained but humus-rich, moisture-retentive, preferably near-neutral soil, provide support such as hazel poles or bamboo canes, keep well-watered, and pick pods regularly, before the seeds swell, to ensure a continuous crop; for more advice, see runner-bean cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

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

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

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

Diseases

May be susceptible to runner bean and French bean rust, halo blight and occasionally bean anthracnose, foot and root rots, grey mould, Sclerotinia, virus diseases, and wilts but generally disease-free