VegetableBean
Black Valentine Bean
Black Valentine Bean is a dual-purpose heirloom snap and dry bean that has been cultivated for generations for its remarkable flexibility in the kitchen. Gardeners can harvest the tender, stringless pods early for fresh eating, or leave them to mature into small black beans ideal for soups and stews. Growing 12 to 24 inches tall in an upright bush form, this open-pollinated variety reaches maturity in 50 to 65 days and thrives in zones 3 through 11, making it adaptable across most North American gardens. Its natural disease resistance and ability to grow in containers, raised beds, or ground plots means you can grow Black Valentine Bean nearly anywhere you have full sun.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
4
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-11
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The true genius of Black Valentine Bean lies in its dual harvest window. Pick the pods young and tender for crisp snap beans with genuine flavor, or wait and let them dry on the plant to crack open small black beans that hold their shape beautifully through long simmering. This flexibility means one planting can feed you multiple ways across the season, and the stringless nature of the pods makes preparation effortless whether you're snapping them fresh or shelling mature beans.
Common Uses
Black Valentine Bean shines in multiple culinary roles depending on when you harvest. For fresh eating, pick the young pods while they're tender and stringless, then snap them into salads, stir-fries, or steam them as a simple side dish. Allow the pods to fully mature on the plant, and you'll harvest small black beans that absorb broth beautifully in soups and stews, becoming the foundation for hearty, warming meals through fall and winter.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow Black Valentine Bean seeds into warm soil after the last frost date, when soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant seeds 1 inch deep, spacing them 4 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Beans germinate quickly in warm soil and do not transplant well, so direct sowing is the preferred method. Succession plant every two to three weeks for continuous harvest throughout the growing season.
Harvesting
For snap beans, harvest the pods when they are young, tender, and full-sized but still bright green, before the beans inside begin to bulge noticeably. The stringless pods should snap cleanly when bent. Pick regularly to encourage continued flowering and production throughout the season. For dry beans, leave the mature pods on the plant until they turn brown and papery, typically 10 to 14 days after the snap window closes. The pods are ready when they rattle when shaken. Allow them to dry fully on the plant if weather permits, then shell them by hand.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Phaseolus vulgaris
Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Phaseolus
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Black Valentine Bean emerged as a purpose-bred cultivar designed to excel at two jobs simultaneously. Originally developed to serve both the fresh snap market and the dry bean kitchen, it represents a practical solution to the gardener's eternal question: why grow one bean when you can grow two? As an open-pollinated heirloom, it remains stable year after year, allowing gardeners to save seed and maintain this variety in their own gardens without loss of character.”