Jefferson planted this lovely bean with its showy flowers in 1812: "Arbor beans white, crimson, scarlet, purple...on long walk of garden." The Scarlet Runner is a Central American native that was popularized by Philip Miller, the great English eighteenth-century garden writer. Although, Bernard McMahon noted in 1806 that it was grown exclusively as an ornamental, Scarlet Runner Bean is still regularly grown in Europe for its edible bean.

Visit Monticello’s Online Shop to check for seeds or plants of Scarlet Runner Bean.

Typical Blooming Dates: June-October
Growth Type: Annual
Blossom Color(s): Reds, Orange
Location at Monticello: Vegetable Garden
Planting Conditions: Full Sun