Plant Library

Other Names:  Eastern Black Wax Bean

Description:

High yields on a heirloom compact bush type plant, perfect for large containers or small gardens; produces golden yellow pods that reach 6"long and encase black beans; tender and delicious, great for canning, freezing, salads, steaming and so much more

Edible Qualities

Pencil Pod Black Wax Bush Bean is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. The entire above-ground parts of the plant are edible, and are usually harvested from mid summer to early fall. The edible parts have a delicious taste and a crunchy texture.

The plant is most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Pickling
• Freezing

Planting & Growing

Pencil Pod Black Wax Bush Bean will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry, and is very intolerant of standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom variety.

Pencil Pod Black Wax Bush Bean is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.