The Pea Bean - Phaseolus aegypticus

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The Pea Bean - Phaseolus aegypticus

Richard Bailey, Wellington, Surrey

I suppose it is natural to think that a plant called the pea bean is a hybrid between a pea and a bean. But this is not the case, peas and beans do not hybridize and the pea bean is a separate species of bean, Phaseolus aegypticus,which has been known in Britain for over 400 years. The plant was mentioned in Gerard's Herbal published in 1597 and is, in fact, one of the earliest of the half hardy beans to be cultivated in Europe.

The pea bean is always easily recognised as the mature seeds are very distinctive - each one being half white and half a reddish, chestnut brown. (Although in America there has been a white seeded cultivar given the name pea bean.)

In habit it is a climbing bean, a pole bean to our American friends, more like a climbing French bean than a runner. Given suitable supports, sticks, string or netting, it will grow to some 6-7 feet (180-210 cm). It is important to pinch the shoots back when they reach the top of the sticks.

It should be treated just as you would treat a climbing French bean. I sow seeds under cold glass in late April setting the plants out some five or six weeks later. Or seeds can be sown where they are to grow at the beginning of May. Provided the soil has warmed germination is usually rapid, within ten to fourteen days. From an April sowing I would normally expect to pick the first beans early in August - it is not as quick to mature as modern cultivars of French bean.The plants are said to prefer a light soil, but I find they do perfectly well on my heavy clay.

I usually grow the plants up wigwams of four sticks placed in a 2 foot (60 cm) square. Two or three plants are set to each stick.

The beans can be cooked in three quite distinct ways. As whole pods, lightly boiled or steamed, just as you would use French beans; as fresh shelled beans (but they are not easy to shell), cook them as you would cook peas and broad beans; or they can be dried (and stored if needs be) as haricot beans. In any of these ways they are are delicious.

For use as French beans do not pick them too young. They are at their best when the beans within are large enough to be felt, but before they get too large. Timing is critical - let them get too old and they become stringy almost overnight (or so it seems!). However, if they pass this stage they are there to be shelled and cooked as fresh beans or to be left to develop fully and become haricots. For use as haricots the pods are best left on the plant until they feel soft and floppy. They can then be picked, dried off completely and shelled before being stored in airtight containers.

While I have never tried it myself I have read that the green beans are amongst the best of all beans for preserving by salting.

This is a bean that has a long history, although it was almost lost to cultivation for a long period, surviving only in out of the way places and gardens. It has now reappeared in a few seed catalogues and I have seen both the pods and seeds in N.V.S. displays.

It was described by the late Edward Bunyard, a noted gourmet, as the most delicious vegetable hardy enough to grow out of doors in Britain. It must be worth reviving!

This article originally appeared in the Members Bulletin, the journal of the National Vegetable Society, which is sent quarterly to members. You can Join the National Vegetable Society here

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