The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), is a popular garden vegetable in Minnesota, grown for snap beans, shell beans, or dry beans. Some varieties are suited for all three uses.
Snap beans, also called "green beans" or "string beans" (although most modern varieties do not have strings), are harvested when the pods contain immature seeds, and the pods are still succulent. They are usually cooked or pickled, although they are sometimes eaten raw. "Filet" beans are snap beans that must be picked before they are thicker than 1/4 inch. They are elegant, French-style vegetables, but require very frequent harvest, as beans picked even a day too late will be fibrous and tough, and yields are lower. "Romano" beans have broad, flat pods. Pods of all types may be green, yellow ("wax"), purple, or striped. Purple pigment disappears during cooking, and cooked purple beans will appear dark green.
