Succotash Pole Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Seeds – Narragansett Heirloom Dry Bean, Corn-Kernel-Shaped Maroon-Purple Seeds, Vigorous 10-Foot Vines

Minimum: 20+ Seeds

A Narragansett Heirloom Shaped Like Corn Kernels

The word succotash comes from a Narragansett term for boiled corn kernels, and this heirloom bean carries the name and the tradition with it. Succotash Pole Bean is a Narragansett heirloom dry bean with plump, squared-off seeds in a rich maroon-purple, so close to corn kernels in shape that the two look like they belong in the same pot. The vines are vigorous, climbing to about 10 feet, and they're made to be grown up a stalk of corn in the oldest garden partnership there is.

Who Grows Succotash Pole Bean?
The heirloom gardener wanting an authentic Narragansett variety with deep regional history.
The Three Sisters gardener wanting a bean built to climb corn.
The dry bean grower wanting a productive, handsome bean for the winter pantry.
The seed saver preserving a traditional Native American heirloom.

What This Narragansett Heirloom Bean Actually Is
Phaseolus vulgaris 'Succotash' is a Narragansett heirloom pole bean grown for its dry seeds, which are shaped like corn kernels, flattened and squared at the ends, in a deep maroon-purple. Vigorous, twining vines reach about 10 feet, climbing readily on corn stalks, poles, or a tall trellis. In the traditional Three Sisters planting, beans climb the corn, squash covers the ground, and the bean fixes nitrogen for its neighbors. The seeds can be eaten as fresh shell beans or dried for storage, and they hold their color and shape well in cooking. As an open-pollinated heirloom, it breeds true from saved seed. Grown as a warm-season annual, not frost-hardy.

In the Garden & Kitchen

• Dried beans: Dry and store the maroon-purple seeds for soups, stews, and baked beans.
• Fresh shell beans: Shell mature but still-soft seeds for a rich, fresh bean.
• Succotash: Cook beans with corn for the dish this heirloom is named for.
• Three Sisters planting: Grow up corn stalks alongside squash for the classic companion planting.
• Heirloom preservation: Grow and save seed to keep a Narragansett variety in circulation.
• Seed saving: Save mature, dried seed from open-pollinated plants to grow the same variety year after year.

Growing Succotash Pole Bean Seeds

• Start method: Direct sow outdoors after last frost; beans generally dislike transplanting.
• Germination: Sprouts in 7 to 10 days in warm soil.
• Soil temperature: Germinates best between 65 and 85°F.
• Spacing: Space seeds 4 to 6 inches apart at the base of poles, trellises, or corn stalks.
• Support: Provide a sturdy trellis or tall poles at least 8 to 10 feet high.
• With corn: Plant beans when the corn is 4 to 6 inches tall so the corn can support the vines.
• Sunlight: Full sun.
• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil supports the strongest growth and heaviest yield.
• Watering: Consistent, even moisture, especially during flowering and pod development.
• Days to maturity: Typically ready for dry beans in roughly 90 to 110 days from seeding.
• Harvest: Let pods dry on the vine, then shell and dry the beans fully before storing.
• Cooking safety: Never eat dry beans raw or undercooked; boil thoroughly for at least 10 minutes first.

Before You Close This Page
This is a bean with a story in its shape, maroon-purple seeds that look like corn kernels, from a Narragansett heirloom that climbs 10 feet and belongs in the Three Sisters garden. Succotash Pole Bean is vigorous and productive, serving as a fresh shell bean, a dry pantry bean, and the namesake of a classic dish. It's open-pollinated and easy to save seed from, ready to carry the tradition into your garden. Grow the bean that belongs in the same pot as the corn.