Common Bean: Contender
(Phaseolus vulgaris)

Phaseolus vulgaris is a vining (indeterminate) or bush-type (pseudo-determinate) herbaceous annual. Vining types are perennial and reach 2-5 m in length. Bush-types are annuals and reach heights of 20-60 cm. Pubescent leaves are trifoliate, present alternately on the stem, and range from green to purple in color. Inflorescence can reach 15-35 cm in length and bear white-to-purple flowers. Green or yellow pods reach lengths of 20 cm, can be straight or curved, and contain 4-12 seeds each. Seeds are kidney-shaped, and can be one of many colors: white, red, green, brown, purple, black, or speckled.

A bush bean that is grown mainly for the fresh green beans but the dry bean seeds can also be cooked and eaten. It takes 55 days to maturity and average pod length is 16cm. This variety is resistant to powdery mildew and bean mosaic virus.