Mbombo

Phaseolus vulgaris

"Hands down the best bean I've ever tasted" - Justin, bean aficionado and staff 

With their dazzling emerald hues and slight kidney shape, these beans are as satisfying to look at as they are to eat! Grown as a bush bean, they do require some amount of trellising, they are sometimes listed as semi-pole or even pole beans. Pods of 5-6 inches are abundant, you can harvest them young and green as snap beans, and let some dry on the vine for soup season. Drought and heat-tolerant, they're a wonderful protein-rich resource to have in the garden. Believed to have originated in Kenya, they're named for the Kuba tribal god, Mbombo, and are said to bring prosperity to both the soil and the people. 

Growing instructions:

Direct seed 5cm (2") deep, 5-8cm (2-3") apart as soon as soil is warm, in rows 45cm (18") apart. Thin to 15cm (6") apart. 8-16 days to germination. For dried beans, stop watering when the pods first start to dry. Harvest when all pods are dry, then store in a dry place with good airflow out of direct sunlight to dry completely before shelling.