SUCCOTASH BEAN SEEDS

Phaseolus sp.

Years back I received a packet of Succotash beans, supposedly belonging to the Narragansett of New England. I grew them out and was quickly convinced that the provenance of these beans was a mistake. They have nothing in common with the beans traditionally grown by indigenous peoples of Eastern North America, and they didn't grow well for me at all in the Hudson Valley. My very small harvest of big bluish beans reminded me of the equally delicious-but-difficult-to-grow À Goût de Châtaigne d'Échenans. Indeed, these “chestnut” beans are actually from South America, as noted by William Woys Weaver in his excellent 'Flavors from the Garden' cookbook, which features a recipe for succotash featuring these Succotash beans.

These plants prefer a long hot summer and will suffer where nights are cool. Given plenty of heat and sun the vines climb high and can produce lots of broad pods filled with big starchy beans that are a beautiful violet blue when freshly shelled. Fully dried, they make wonderful addition to winter soups and stews and look fabulous in a glass jar on the counter. Do take care to soak and cook these beans separately as they will otherwise discolor everything with a swampy bruise hue.

Big sweet starchy Succotash beans hold their shape once cooked and are, as their name suggests, ideal for succotash. They are also great for cassoulet and cold beans salads. Very different from most pole beans offered in the United States and worth growing at least once. Growers in cool maritime climates may want to pass or at least avoid devoting a great deal of garden space to these plants.

Packet contains at least 50 seeds.