Dragon Tongue

SKU: BN140
Technically a wax bean until it develops its purple streaks, this beautiful Dutch heirloom is wonderful to eat fresh, or to save and use as dried beans. Read More

Exposure Full-sun

Matures in 65 days

Season Warm season

Seed type OP ?

Dragon Tongue has a rating of 4.9 stars based on 10 reviews.
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Heirloom
Shipping & Returns

West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.

Dragon Tongue

Product Details

Technically a wax bean until it develops its purple streaks, this beautiful Dutch heirloom is wonderful to eat fresh, or to save and use as dried beans. When the flat 21–25cm (8–10”) beans turn from a lime green to yellow with bright purple stripes, they are ready for cooking or freezing. Dragon Tongue bush bean seeds are also known as Merveille de Piemonte.

Matures in 65 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Quick Facts:

    • Bush bean
    • Yellow with bright purple stripes
    • AKA Merveile de Piemontel
    • Open-pollinated and heirloom
    • Matures in 65 days

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All About Dragon Tongue

Latin

Latin
Phaseolus Vulgaris
Family: Fabaceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Easy

Season

Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full-sun

Timing

Timing
Direct sow from mid-spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, the seeds may rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-32°C (70-90°F). The seeds should sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

Starting

Starting
Sow seeds 2-5cm (1-2″) deep, 5-8cm (2-3″) apart, in rows 45-60cm (18-24″) apart. Thin to at least 15cm (6″) apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a continuous harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

Days to Maturity

Days to Maturity
From direct sowing.

Growing

Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer. Wet leaves on crowded plants are subject to diseases. Thin plants to increase air circulation and avoid touching the leaves while they are wet.

Harvest

Harvest
Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

Seed Info

Seed Info
In optimal conditions a tleast 75% of seeds should germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 800 seeds. Per acre: 232M seeds.

Diseases & Pests

Diseases & Pests
Aphids – A hard stream of water can be used to remove aphids from plants. Wash off with water early in the day. Check for natural enemies such as grey-brown or bloated, parasitized aphids and the presence of larvae of lady beetles and lacewings.

Spider mites (two-spotted) – Wash off with water early in the day. A hard stream of water can be used to remove mites.

Leafhoppers – Small, light green to grey insects that feed on the plant juices, causing stunted growth, and transferring viruses. No cultural control available.

Companion Planting

Companion Planting
Beans fix nitrogen in the soil. Plant with beets, Brassicas, carrots, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potatoes, radish, and strawberries. Avoid planting near chives, garlic, leeks, and onions.

More on Companion Planting.

How to Grow Bush Beans

Step 1

Timing

Direct sow mid-to late spring. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm—if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially since our seeds are not treated with fungicide. Sow drying beans as early as possible, so they can mature before rainy/cold weather sets in. Optimal soil temperature: 21-2°C (70-90°F). Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

Step 2

Starting

Sow bush bean seeds 2-5cm (1-2”) deep, 5-8cm (2-3”) apart, in rows 45-60cm (18-24”) apart. Thin to at least 15cm (6”) apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a longer harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

Step 3

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5

Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer.

Step 4

Germination

Days to maturity: From direct sowing.

In optimal conditions at least 75% of seeds should germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 800 seeds. Per acre: 232M seeds.

Step 5

Harvest

Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

Tips

Diseases & Pests

Aphids – A hard stream of water can be used to remove aphids from plants. Wash off with water early in the day. Check for natural enemies such as grey-brown or bloated, parasitized aphids and the presence of larvae of lady beetles and lacewings.

Spider mites (two-spotted) – Wash off with water early in the day. A hard stream of water can be used to remove mites.

Leafhoppers – Small, light green to grey insects that feed on the plant juices, causing stunted growth, and transferring viruses. No cultural control available.

Companion Planting

Beans fix nitrogen in the soil. Plant with beets, Brassicas, carrots, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potatoes, radish, and strawberries. Avoid planting near chives, garlic, leeks, and onions.

Customer Reviews & Questions