Varieties of String Beans

String Bean Categories

• The three main categories of string beans include green, yellow and haricot or French types. Haricots are the smallest and skinniest of the three and have the smallest beans inside the pods.

Types of String Beans

• String bean plants are either bush or pole types. Bush string bean plants are strong enough to stand on their own and produce more beans than pole types. Pole string beans cling to supports as they grow and the beans are easier to pick than on bush plants.

Varieties

• Common varieties of both bush and pole string beans include Blue Lake and Kentucky Wonder. Derby is another prevalent bush variety and Kentucky Blue is a widely planted pole strain.

Fun Fact

• The word string referred to green beans when each pod had tough fibers along its seams that required removal for the bean to be edible. The string feature has slowly disappeared over time through selective breeding.