Bush bean varieties grow up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide and have a short, spreading shape. Cultivars include Bush Blue Lake, Golden Butterwax and California Red Kidney.
Pole bean plants are vines that can climb a pole or trellis in a small space. Most pole beans, such as Kentucky Blue and Kentucky Wonder, grow up to 8 feet long; the hyacinth bean, however, can climb to 20 feet. According to the Cornell University Extension of Oneida County, pole beans produce up to three times as many beans as bush beans in the same space.
Half-runner bean plants, such as Mountaineer White, produce 3-foot-long runners but often grow like bush beans. For a higher yield, the Clemson University Cooperative Extension recommends growing half-runners on 3- to 4-foot supports.