Anyone in Arizona/Sonora-like climate interested in perennial beans?

[jimbakjones94]

I got a hold of 4 varieties of Phaseolus ritensis, and one variety of Phaseolus maculatus (aka "metcalfei"). Unfortunately, I do not know the names of the varieties, or if they even have names. I thought I would have an opportunity to grow them out for seed, but I had to move to a climate that won't support their growth.

They are fascinating beans - https://archive.org/details/p-maculatus-metcalfei-and-p-ritensis-1980-nabhan-berry-and-weber-economic-botany_202207

Nutritious, perennial, surviving in hot, dry climates, erosion control, forage for animals, medicinal uses. Supposedly P. ritensis can withstand "low temperatures" - https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00132905

Would anyone be interested in growing them out and sharing the seeds? I have 25 seeds each variety. I would expect a minimum of 25 seeds in return, assuming a successful grow-out. I already have one person who's agreed, so I need 4 more. My desire is that over 2-3 years, we could have enough seed to share with others is promising, yet untried, climates outside of the native range. It would be nice to have these beans become more commonly used.

[Walt]

I'm interested and willing to try growing out one kind.  I'd have to do it in pots as winters here are nasty.  But I can make room between my citrus.

[jimbakjones94]

I'm interested and willing to try growing out one kind.  I'd have to do it in pots as winters here are nasty.  But I can make room between my citrus.

Thank you, Walt! Where do you live, or what's your climate?

[jimbakjones94]

I'm interested and willing to try growing out one kind.  I'd have to do it in pots as winters here are nasty.  But I can make room between my citrus.

How cold does it get in the winters, and how cold does the ground get? How far down does the cold go into the ground?

I've read that P. ritensis is tolerant of "low temps" but it was just a paper abstract, so I couldn't get the number that defined "low." The vines die back in the winters, and the roots/tubers stay alive underground, fueling regrowth in the spring. Might start in pots, and then transfer to the ground?

[jimbakjones94]

I found several folks who are helping out with this who live in Arizona and New Mexico. We shall see how it goes over the next few years!

[Walt]

Thank you, Walt! Where do you live, or what's your climate?

Central Kansas.  Zone 6.  Mostly I do citrus breeding, selecting from Citrus x Ponciris crosses.   But I've been interested in perennial beans for years.  Like I said, I would have to grow these beans in pots inside during the winter.  I could make crosses etc and return seeds, both selfs and hybrids.

[UnicornEmily]

I'm interested in trying.  I live in Utah, which has a similar climate to Arizona and New Mexico.  Colder winters because it's norther, though.  My growing zone is 7b.  What growing zone do you think perennial beans need?

[Diane Whitehead]

Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are also perennial, with underground tubers.

I've grown them for half a century, and have never had them resprout so I need to start new seeds each spring.

[UnicornEmily]

I just assumed runner beans were annuals!  I looked it up, and it seems they're perennials in zone 9.  Well, I guess that means they will be annuals when I start growing them. 

[Garrett Schantz]

If you have any seeds still, I'm in Zone 8 Mississippi.

Could be fun to play around with, but I have nothing to trade at the moment.