Phaseolus vulgaris.
An open-pollinated variety of American origin, selected in the mid-20th century, which made a sensation at the time with its improbable colour: straight, smooth pods of a deep, almost cardinal purple, hanging in clusters through the green foliage in an almost ornamental way. The little magic trick that often comes with the first discovery: dunked in boiling water, the purple pod instantly changes colour and turns bright green in a few seconds — under the effect of heat on the anthocyanins (the same pigments that colour red cabbage and the Violetto cauliflower, and which are also pH and temperature indicators). For gardens shared with children, it's a show that never gets old.
Compact bush plant 45 to 50 cm tall, needing no staking, perfect for small gardens, raised beds and intensive rows. Straight, tender pods 12 to 15 cm, stringless, with the classic flavour of fresh green bean — once cooked (and so back to green), they're indistinguishable on the palate from a Blue Lake or any standard bean. The great practical advantage in the garden: the purple colour stands out magnificently from the green foliage, which makes harvesting much faster and easier than with classic green beans, which you hunt for by feel in the leaves. A precious asset for hurried gardeners or those with less-than-sharp vision. Concentrated production over 3 to 4 weeks — ideal for those who want to blanch and freeze a large harvest all at once, or do preserves.
Grower's tip: Like all beans, Royal Burgundy hates cold and damp — sown too early in cool soil, it rots before it germinates. Wait until the soil is solidly warmed (15 °C minimum, late May / early June in Québec). Genetic bonus: the variety is slightly more late-season-cold-tolerant than standard green beans, which lets you stretch the fall harvest. A nitrogen-fixing legume — don't fertilize with nitrogen, and use a Rhizobium inoculant on soil that has never carried beans. Pick early and often — one harvested bean stimulates several more, and young pods are incomparably more tender than those left to grow large.
- Open-pollinated. Largely self-fertile, few crossings to fear between varieties.
- Height: 45 to 50 cm. No staking needed.
- Maturity: 55 to 60 days after sowing.
- Exposure: full sun.
- Loose, well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Avoid excess nitrogen. Space plants 10 cm apart in the row, 50 cm between rows.
- Direct-sow once the soil is warmed (late May / early June in Québec). To stretch the harvest, re-sow every two weeks through mid-July.
