Habit (mature) - Rasbak / Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0
Limited coverage
Common bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
A warm-season annual vegetable in family Fabaceae (nitrogen-fixing) producing edible green pods (snap beans), shelling beans, or dried beans depending on cultivar + harvest timing. Two habit groups: bush beans (compact 1-2 ft) and pole beans (climbing vines up to 8 ft). NC State explicitly notes the nitrogen-fixation soil-improving role — beans are a foundational rotation crop.
Edible
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
12-96" tall · 6" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual; NC State profile lists 2a-11b context
AHS heat range
4-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Skipper butterflies — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Cold hardiness
Future
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/phaseolus-vulgaris
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes