Development of a Bean Plant

Germination

• The outside shell of the bean is hydrated and signals the bean to germinate. The embryonic root tip breaks through the soft bean shell. The stem and leaves grow from the bean using the inside of the bean as food. The stem and two embryonic leaves break the surface of the soil.

Seedling

• The seedling has two leaves on either side of the stem. The size of the leaves depends on the variety of bean. String beans, for example, have seedling leaves that are about an inch long, tapering to a point. As the seedling grows, it gets taller and produces more leaves.

Mature Plant

• Depending on the variety of bean, the mature plant reaches 12 to 18 inches high for bush beans, up to 6 feet tall for pole beans. The mature plants begin to flower. The flowers are fertilized and produce bean pods. Keeping the pods picked encourages the plant to produce more.

Death

• Frost ends the life cycle of bean plants.