tedln

Scott,

I've grown the yardlong bean which is sometimes called the Asparagus Bean and Chinese Long Bean. The pods reach almost a yard in length but must be harvested when about 18" long if you plan on eating them. The beans inside the pod are totally black in color instead of brown. While I am a fan of the beautiful purple blooms on the vines and the growth habit of the plants, I am not a fan of the taste of the beans. They also continue sprouting in the garden from dropped beans for a couple of years after they were last grown. While grasshoppers happily munch on the plants, they seem impervious to other insects.

Saltmarsh,

Yes, all the roadside vegetable stands put up signs advertising the "Purple Hulled Peas" when they are in season. I've never eaten them.

Ted