VegetableBean
Green Podded Yard Long Bean
The Green Podded Yard Long Bean is a heat-loving annual vine that produces exceptionally long, tender pods in 70-79 days. Also known as the Asparagus Bean or Chinese Long Bean, this heirloom variety grows 5-9 feet tall and thrives in warm-season gardens across hardiness zones 3-9. The mild, subtly sweet flavor and delicate texture make it a standout among snap beans, offering something genuinely different from traditional bush varieties.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained Loam, Tolerates Poor Soil
Growth Stats
108 in
Height
TypeVining
Spacing
4
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-9
Size
108in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
These slender green pods stretch 12 inches or longer and deliver a mildly sweet, tender flavor that tastes remarkably like asparagus when cooked. The plants are prolific producers in heat, thriving even when summer temperatures climb, and they adapt readily to containers, raised beds, and garden plots. Open-pollinated and organic, this is a variety you can save seed from year after year, keeping an heirloom tradition alive in your own garden.
Common Uses
These pods are primarily used as a snap bean, harvested young and tender for stir-frying, steaming, or blanching. Their asparagus-like character makes them particularly suited to Asian stir-fries, where they are often paired with garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. They also work beautifully in fresh preparations, boiled and dressed simply with butter and salt, or incorporated into soups and curries. The tender texture means minimal cooking time is needed.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Sow seeds directly into the garden after frost danger passes and soil temperature reaches 60°F or warmer. Push seeds 1 inch deep into warm soil and keep evenly moist until germination. Space seeds 4 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting pods when they reach 8-12 inches long and while still bright green and tender, typically 70-79 days after planting. Pick pods regularly and before they mature fully; frequent harvesting encourages continued flowering and production. The pods should snap cleanly when bent and feel crisp, not tough or stringy. Harvest in the morning when pods are cool and turgid for best texture and flavor.
Pruning
As a vining pole bean, the Green Podded Yard Long Bean requires no pruning. Instead, guide the growing vines along your trellis, fence, or support structure, gently tying them in place with soft twine as needed. Remove any dead or diseased leaves to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis
Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Vigna
Growth Habit
Vining
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“The Green Podded Yard Long Bean descends from Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis, a legume with deep roots in Asian agriculture. This open-pollinated heirloom carries forward generations of selection for sweetness, tenderness, and prolific production. As an heirloom variety, it represents the collective work of countless gardeners and farmers who preserved these plants through seed saving, ensuring that home gardeners today can grow the same bean their grandparents might have cultivated.”