The Tepehuan Star Bean is a striking pole bean with a distinctive appearance: cream-beige pods adorned with radiating black specks that form a mesmerizing star pattern. Originally collected from a Tepehuan farmer in the highlands of Chihuahua, Mexico, this late-maturing cultivar thrives in warm conditions and prefers lower elevations planted at monsoon time or higher elevations in summer. Space plants 4 inches apart in rows 18 inches wide, and keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. It's a frost-tender variety best suited to warm climates.
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Moderate
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Moderate
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The star pattern that gives this bean its name appears as black specks radiating across a cream-beige background, making it as beautiful in the garden as it is on the plate. Collected directly from a traditional Tepehuan farmer in Mexico's high country, this pole bean carries the mark of authentic heritage seed preservation. Its late maturity means timing matters, but the reward is a uniquely striking bean that tells the story of indigenous Mexican agriculture.
As a fresh or dried bean, the Tepehuan Star Bean can be used in soups, stews, and traditional Mexican bean dishes where its distinctive appearance and sturdy texture make it a standout ingredient. The beans can be harvested fresh from the pod or allowed to mature fully for drying and storage, extending their use throughout the year in any recipe calling for dried beans.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. In low elevations, plant at monsoon; in higher elevations, sow in summer to allow adequate time for this late-maturing variety to produce.
Harvest Tepehuan Star Beans as snap or string beans while pods are still tender and the star pattern is visible on the pod surface, or allow them to fully mature on the vine for dried beans. For fresh use, pick regularly to encourage continued flowering; for dried beans, leave pods on the plant until they dry down and the beans rattle inside.
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“This bean originates from the high elevation regions of Chihuahua, Mexico, around 6,900 feet, where it was grown by Tepehuan farmers in communities like Nabogame near Guadalupe y Calvo. Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Arizona, collected this variety directly from a Tepehuan farmer and now maintains it in their Seed Bank Collection. The bean represents a living connection to traditional indigenous agricultural practices and the biodiversity of Mexico's mountain regions, preserved through the intentional work of seed savers committed to protecting crop diversity.”