Interview with Ms. Painted Lady Runner Bean

Interview with Ms. Painted Lady Runner Bean

Pam: Good Morning Ms. Painted Lady Runner Bean.

Painted Lady: Hello, Pam. Please call me Painted Lady.

Pam: Thank you, Painted Lady. You’re a new variety at the White Bear Lake Seed Library. Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Painted Lady: As you can see from my wonderful photo, I’m quite a looker! My flowers are two shades of pink and I have the most fabulous speckled beans. Certainly rivals Mr. Scarlet Runner Bean any day!

Pam: Yes, I can see how lovely your flowers are.

 

 

Painted Lady: (Blushes) The hummingbird moth is very attracted to my blooms!

Pam: Uh, right. So I’m told your official name is Phaseolus coccineus. The Phaseolus  genus includes all the common beans, isn’t that right?

Painted Lady: I assure you I come from much more royal stock than the common bean! Why, have you ever seen a common bean with flowers like mine?

Pam: No, of course not Painted Lady. I didn’t mean to imply you were in any way common.

Painted Lady: The common bean is just for eating, whereas I am valued for my lovely flowers as well as my edible beans. Why, you can even eat my flowers! Though why anyone would waste such beauty is beyond me!

Pam: (rolling eyes) I did a little research on your ancestry and found that Friar Antonio de Arrabida described your species in Flora of Rio de Janeiro in 1827.

Painted Lady: Why yes. I originated in Central America, though I am all over the world now. In fact, in Greece one of my relatives with white blossom and white beans are grown under protective law in northern Greece. Her beans are very important in Greek cuisine. They eat them in Gigandes plaki.

 

Pam: So my gardener friends would like to know where you prefer to live.

Painted Lady: I enjoy sun, as much sun as possible as I come from warmer climates, you know. And, of course, I need a place to run my vigorous vines and to show off my gorgeous flowers.

Pam: So you need full sun and a trellis, right?

Painted Lady: Certainly! Also, I prefer that the ground is nice and warm before planting my seeds. And it goes without saying that I can’t handle any frost!

Pam: Yes, of course.

Painted Lady: If you treat me right, I’ll bloom for you in about 2 months.

Pam: Wonderful! Thank you Painted Lady for your time. I would like to add that the White Bear Lake Seed Library has several packets of your lovely beans for gardeners to grow this year. I hope that many do and harvest your lovely speckled beans to return to the seed library.

Painted Lady: Your welcome, Pam. I enjoyed showing your gardeners what a great plant I am!

Photo credits: seedsavers.org, Wikipedia.org