Phaseolus vulgaris 'Borlotto'

RHS Plant Profile
bean (climbing French) 'Borlotto'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Phaseolus vulgaris 'Borlotto'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
bean (climbing French) 'Borlotto' visionspictures.com
Climber Wall Shrub Annual Biennial
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
2 Suppliers

A type of French bean which can be eaten as fresh pods while the beans are still tiny, but is more often grown to produce mature beans for drying. The decorative, flat pods are green mottled with dark pink, maturing to cream and dark pink. The mature beans are cream with dark red markings

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

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

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or 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)
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
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow up support in any fertile, moisture-retentive soil in good light. For more advice see beans for drying and French bean cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Climber and wall shrubs

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails, and to blackfly (black aphid)

Diseases

May be susceptible to runner and french bean rust