VegetableBean
Kentucky Wonder Wax Bean
Kentucky Wonder Wax Bean is an open-pollinated heirloom pole bean that produces abundant crops of tender, stringless yellow pods over a long harvest window. Growing 60 to 72 inches tall, this vigorous vining variety reaches maturity in 50 to 59 days and thrives in zones 3 through 11, making it accessible to gardeners across most of North America. The pods are notably sweeter and more delicate than their green bean cousins, with a rich, slightly nutty flavor that makes them a standout on the dinner table. Its high yields and reliable production over multiple harvests throughout the season have kept this variety in seed collections for generations.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
72 in
Height
TypeVining
Spacing
4
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-11
Size
72in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
The yellow pods are often sweeter and more delicate than green beans, with a rich, slightly nutty flavor that sets them distinctly apart. These tender, stringless pods produce abundantly over an extended harvest season, ensuring you'll have multiple pickings from a single planting. The plants are non-GMO, open-pollinated heirlooms that perform well in containers, raised beds, garden plots, and even greenhouses, giving you flexibility in how you grow them.
Common Uses
These beans are primarily enjoyed fresh as snap beans, eaten whole either steamed, sautéed, or roasted to showcase their tender texture and subtle nutty sweetness. The stringless pods make them particularly convenient for quick preparation, requiring minimal trimming before cooking. They can also be allowed to mature fully for dry beans if you wish to shell them for storage, though they're most valued for their fresh-eating qualities.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last spring frost when soil has warmed, spacing plants 4 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart. Ensure the soil temperature is at least 60°F before planting, as beans are sensitive to cold soil.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Plant seeds about 1 inch deep, spacing them 4 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Water gently after sowing and keep soil moist until germination.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting when the pods reach 5 to 6 inches in length and are still tender and snappy to the touch, typically 50 to 59 days after planting. The pods should be bright yellow and firm, not limp or discolored. Harvest regularly, ideally every two to three days, to encourage continued production throughout the season. Pick pods by gently holding the vine with one hand while pulling the pod away with the other to avoid damaging the plant. Continued picking ensures the plant channels energy into producing more beans rather than allowing pods to mature and signal the plant to stop flowering.
Pruning
No pruning is required for pole beans. Allow the vining growth to climb your support structure naturally. You may remove any diseased or damaged foliage as you notice it, but the plants are best left to grow vigorously throughout the season.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Phaseolus vulgaris
Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Phaseolus
Growth Habit
Vining
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Kentucky Wonder Wax Bean carries the genetic legacy of its green-podded ancestor, the beloved Kentucky Wonder pole bean, adapted here into a golden-yellow form. As an open-pollinated heirloom variety, it has been preserved and passed down through generations of home gardeners and seed savers who valued its generous yields and superior flavor. This cultivar represents the kind of reliable, productive bean that sustained American home gardens throughout the twentieth century, prized for both its abundance and the simplicity of growing it from saved seed.”