Royal Burgundy Bush Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris 'Royal Burgundy'
A stunning ornamental edible that produces deep purple pods on compact plants, making harvest incredibly easy since the colorful beans stand out against green foliage. These tender, stringless pods turn bright green when cooked, offering the perfect combination of garden beauty and excellent eating quality. An All-America Selections winner that brings both function and dramatic flair to any vegetable garden.
Harvest
51-55d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Easy
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Royal Burgundy Bush Bean in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 bean →Zone Map
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Royal Burgundy 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 Royal Burgundy beans maintain peak quality for 5-7 days when stored unwashed in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Keep them at 40-45°F with high humidity to prevent wilting and maintain their crisp texture.
For freezing, blanch whole pods in boiling water for 3 minutes, then immediately plunge into ice water. Drain thoroughly and freeze in portions for easy use. The dramatic purple color will fade to green during blanching, just as it does when cooking fresh.
These tender beans also pickle beautifully—their firm texture holds up well to quick refrigerator pickles made with equal parts vinegar and water plus salt and spices. The purple pods create an attractive pickled product that maintains good crunch for several weeks. For longer storage, pressure can using standard green bean processing times and pressures, though the color will change from purple to traditional green during processing.
History & Origin
Origin: Tropical America
Advantages
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Seeds): Medium severity
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Marigold
Repels Mexican bean beetles and aphids, reduces nematode populations
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, deters bean beetles
Carrot
Loosens soil for bean roots, beans provide nitrogen that carrots utilize
Corn
Provides natural support structure, beans fix nitrogen for corn's benefit
Summer Squash
Large leaves provide ground cover and moisture retention, part of Three Sisters planting
Cucumber
Compatible growth habits and similar water needs, beans provide nitrogen
Lettuce
Grows well in partial shade of bean plants, efficient use of garden space
Radish
Quick harvest before beans mature, helps break up soil for bean roots
Keep Apart
Onion
Inhibits bean growth and nitrogen fixation through root compounds
Garlic
Stunts bean growth and interferes with beneficial rhizobia bacteria
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants including beans through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346400)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good disease tolerance, particularly to bean mosaic virus
Common Pests
Bean beetles, aphids, spider mites, flea beetles
Diseases
Bacterial blight, anthracnose, white mold, rust