VegetableBean
Greencrop Bean
Greencrop Bean is a bush snap bean that earned its place in gardening history as the 1957 All-American Selections winner, celebrated for producing abundant 8-inch pods from compact, upright plants. This open-pollinated variety thrives in zones 3 through 9 and reaches harvest in just 50 to 59 days, making it one of the quickest paths to a fresh bean crop. Whether you're gardening in containers, raised beds, or traditional garden rows, Greencrop delivers reliable yields of tender snap beans with a heat-tolerant constitution that keeps producing through warm summers.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-9
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
3-9
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
An award-winning bean that proved itself nearly 70 years ago and continues to earn respect from gardeners who appreciate straightforward performance. The 8-inch pods arrive in under 60 days, and the plant's natural bushiness means no trellising required, which simplifies both care and harvest. Its documented resistance to bacterial blight, bean common mosaic virus, powdery mildew, and additional resistance genes (R and RR) gives you real peace of mind in challenging growing seasons.
Common Uses
Greencrop beans are primarily harvested as fresh snap beans, eaten whole or lightly cooked to preserve their tender texture. The long pods make them convenient for snapping into shorter pieces for cooking, freezing, or adding to fresh salads and stir-fries. Many gardeners prize them specifically for preservation because the pods' length and straightness makes them reliable candidates for home canning and freezing.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow Greencrop seeds into warm soil after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Plant seeds 4 inches apart in rows spaced 24 inches apart, spacing them appropriately for the mature 12 to 24 inch height.
Harvesting
Pick Greencrop pods when they reach full length but while still tender and snappable between your fingers, typically around 50 to 59 days after planting. Harvest the 8-inch pods when they have good color and before the beans inside become visibly bulging, as this indicates they're past peak tenderness. Continue harvesting regularly every few days to encourage more flowering and pod production throughout the season. Handle the plants gently during harvest to avoid breaking branches or damaging future flowers.
Growing Calendar
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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
“Greencrop bean burst onto the American gardening scene in 1957 when it won the All-American Selections award, a recognition that honored its exceptional performance as a bush bean variety. The award highlighted what gardeners quickly discovered: these plants produced long 8-inch pods in abundance from a compact upright form, offering a real efficiency gain for home growers. The variety's open-pollinated nature means you've been saving and replanting Greencrop seed since the 1950s, making it a direct link to post-war American vegetable gardening.”