Black beans are a popular type of dry bean, used in many traditional cuisines.
Together with pinto beans, navy beans, kidney beans, red beans and pink beans, black beans are a type of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Black beans generally grow best in warm places, where a frost-free growing season provides them with anywhere from 85 to 105 days to grow. Their preference for warm-weather climates reflects the culinary use of black beans in many Caribbean, Central and South American cuisines. There are many cultivars of black beans, generally growing on extensive, horizontal runner-type plants, as opposed to upright-growing plants, the other common form for bean plants.
Blackhawk
The "Blackhawk" black bean cultivar is a late-maturing variety, meaning that it may take over 100 days from planting for the beans to fully mature. The "Blackhawk" grows upright, though it grows to a fairly small size when mature. The "Blackhawk" is fairly susceptible to common blight, though it can tolerate halo blight. One advantage of the "Blackhawk" is its resistance of the bean common mosaic virus, including the NY15 strain. It can also tolerate white mold and fusarium, a soil-borne wilt caused by fungi. It is resistant to rust.
Black Magic
If you live in a location with a long growing period, another black bean cultivar with a late harvest is the "Black Magic." It also grows upright and is fairly short when full-grown. Like the "Blackhawk," "Black Magic" is susceptible to common blight but tolerant of halo blight. It can resist bean common mosaic virus, is tolerant of fusarium and white mold and can resist rust.
Shadow
If you have a shorter growing season, lasting somewhere between 85 and 90 days, you can opt for a black bean cultivar like "Shadow," with beans that mature early to midway through the season. "Shadow" is, like most black bean varieties, a short, upright growing plant. It can resist bean common mosaic virus and rust. It is tolerant of white mold.
TE-39
For a black bean that matures at a moderate rate, you might opt for the "TE-39" cultivar. A growing season lasting around 95 days should be perfectly sufficient for the "TE-39." This variety offers many of the same benefits as the slow-maturing varieties, but works better if you live in a northern climate with a somewhat shorter growing season. While it is susceptible to common blight, it tolerates halo blight. It can also tolerate fusarium wilt and white mold. The "TE-39" cultivar is resistant to bean common mosaic virus, including the NY15 strain. It also resists rust.
Tags: bean common, bean common mosaic, black bean, common mosaic, common mosaic virus
