Bountiful Bush Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris 'Bountiful'
A tried-and-true heirloom from 1898 that lives up to its name with incredibly heavy yields of tender, stringless pods. This variety is prized for its long harvest window and ability to produce well even in less-than-ideal conditions. Gardeners love its reliability and the fact that it continues producing over several weeks rather than all at once.
Harvest
48-55d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Easy
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Bountiful Bush Bean in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 bean →Zone Map
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Bountiful Bush Bean · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – June | August – September |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – June | July – September |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – June | July – August |
| Zone 8 | — | — | April – May | June – August |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – April | May – July |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | May – June |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: High Organic Matter. Drainage: Good Drainage. Spacing: 6-feet-12 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: 'Rattlesnake'Pole Snap Bean, 'Rattlesnake'. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The boat-shaped seed pods are bilaterally symmetrical and can be green, yellow, white, or purple at maturity. There is a wide variety of color and shape choices among cultivars.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Purple/Lavender, White. Type: Legume. Length: > 3 inches. Width: < 1 inch.
Garden value: Edible, Good Dried
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Spring, Summer
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Bountiful beans store best unwashed in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer, maintaining quality for 5-7 days. For longer storage, blanch beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, then plunge into ice water before freezing in airtight containers—they'll keep for 10-12 months.
This variety excels for canning due to its meaty texture that holds up well to processing. Follow USDA guidelines for pressure canning green beans. For drying, allow some pods to mature until beans rattle inside, then shell and store dried beans in airtight containers. Bountiful's tender, stringless pods also make excellent pickled dilly beans—their uniform size and crisp texture create professional-quality results that maintain their snap even after processing.
History & Origin
Origin: Tropical America
Advantages
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Seeds): Medium severity
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Marigold
Repels bean beetles, aphids, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Carrots
Help loosen soil for bean roots and don't compete for nitrogen
Cucumber
Beans provide nitrogen that cucumbers need, while cucumbers provide ground cover
Radish
Fast-growing radishes break up soil and are harvested before beans need space
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, repels bean beetles
Summer Savory
Repels bean weevils and may improve bean flavor and growth
Corn
Provides partial shade and wind protection for bush beans
Lettuce
Benefits from nitrogen fixed by beans and provides living mulch
Keep Apart
Onion
Can stunt bean growth and reduce yields through root competition
Fennel
Inhibits growth of beans through allelopathic compounds
Garlic
Releases compounds that can inhibit bean germination and growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346400)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good tolerance to heat and drought stress, moderate disease resistance
Common Pests
Mexican bean beetles, aphids, bean leaf beetles, cutworms
Diseases
Bacterial blight, bean mosaic virus, anthracnose, rust