Posted by Jennifer Dixon on 30th Jun 2017
Growing the Blue Shackamaxon Pole Bean
The Blue Shackamaxon is probably the rarest bean we currently have in our collection. It's so rare that we are one of only two heirloom companies that sell this old world pole bean. I was actually surprised to find this out since it's such a great variety of pole bean. The Blue Shackamaxon is believed to have come from the Pennsylvania area and has been documented since the early 1900s although it's history is much older than that.
The plant itself is not quite as aggressive as some pole bean varieties although it is very prolific. The leaves are a beautiful heart shape.
The pods much like most pole beans start out green and as they begin to age will streak with striking burgundy stripes and then eventually turn completely burgundy in color. They are meant to be eaten as a shell bean. So it's best to let them dry on the vine as much as possible. Shell them and then store them once they are completely dry.
The beans themselves will go from very light green to a dark blue almost black in color. So if you are looking for an old variety to add to your seed collection as well as to your table I highly recommend the Blue Shackamaxon.
To purchase these seeds visit the link below or go to our store and look under bean seeds.