Elements of Bean Plants

Roots

• The roots of a bean plant provide it with support and essential nourishment that they need to survive. The roots soak up water and nutrients -- primarily phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium -- from the soil, allowing them to be distributed around the plant. Bean plant roots can extend anywhere from 4 to 30 inches into the ground, depending on the species of plant and the soil conditions. For instance, those in comparatively infertile soil will often have shallower, more spread out root systems as the plant seeks the nourishment it needs. Gardeners are advised to compost the soil in which beans are planted to ensure they have access to sufficient nutrients to thrive.

Stalk

• The stalk is the part of the bean plant that extends above ground from the roots and on which the leaves, flowers and pods grow. Generally, the stalks of bean plants are thin and, even though they harden as the plant matures, they usually require support to stand up straight, which is why gardeners plant beans along trellises or with supportive canes. Bean plant stalks can grow anywhere between 1 and 7 feet tall.

Leaves

• Leaves are the means by which bean plants conduct photosynthesis. This is the process by which sunlight and carbon dioxide are processed into sugars that are essential to the plants' growth. Leaves are green because they contain chlorophyll, the pigment in which photosynthesis occurs. Bean plant leaves range in shape from broad, wide leaves to thin, oval- and teardrop-shaped foliage.

Flowers

• The flowers of all plants, including beans, are necessary for reproduction; they contain the pollen and ovary that germinate seeds, which in this case are bean pods. Bean plant flowers contain both the male and female sex organs of the plant, so they can self-pollinate. Once pollination has occurred and a bean is produced, the flowers disappear, growing back again the next year for pollination to occur again. Bean plant flowers range in color from white and pink to yellow, depending on the species.

Pods

• The pods of the bean plant, which grow from the pollinated flowers, contain the seeds. Sometimes, the pod with the seeds is referred to as the bean, or the word is used to refer to a seed that has been removed from the pod. They range in color from black to green and typically contain between two and five seeds. Some pods, such as green or runner beans, are eaten with the pod still on -- they are harvested when the bean is still unripe so that the pod is edible -- while others, such as the kidney bean are harvested after the seed has fully developed and are eaten after removal from the pod.