Phaseolus vulgaris
 
The first time we tried to grow the Colorado River Bean (aka Seneca Cornstalk), it was a desperate attempt to resurrect 12 year old bean seed. Despite our hopes, it was a failure. Fate would have it that we were meant to grow this bean, however, when fresher seed made it back into our hands in the winter of the following year. 
 
The delicate burgundy speckles on the cream background of these cutshort-type beans are the first thing to catch your attention. The coloration is reminiscent of another small dary bean, Flor de Mayo, or the effect one gets when splattering paint with a toothbrush. Although these beans appear to be favored in the American south and southwest, they still produce remarkably high yields at the 45th parallel north. They’re a great soup bean, and a great baked bean, as they can still hold their speckles after many hours of cooking.
 
Packet size: 75 seeds
 
DTM: 100-105 days