Yard long beans are fast-growing, high-yielding legumes that every vegetable garden needs. With their impressive size, they easily create a serving of food from just a few beans. If you’ve never eaten this type of bean, they’re just as tasty as green beans and snap peas!
Keep reading to learn about 11 unique varieties of yard long beans. You may have a hard time deciding which one to grow!
About Yard Long Beans
You may have guessed a little bit about these beans from the name. It’s true: yard long beans can grow as long as 30 inches!
Yard long beans, also known as Chinese long beans, are originally from China and parts of Southeast Asia. But, other countries have now caught on to these amazing legumes.
These bean plants can climb up to 12 feet. That means they need a good support trellis for optimal growth.
The beans are picked right before they reach maturity, so the entirety of the pod is edible.
Yard long beans taste best when sauteed or fried, instead of boiled like green beans. That’s why this bean works so well in many Asian stir-fry dishes.
Red Noodle Beans
Red noodle beans are unique yard long beans that grow purplish-red in color. You can expect them to reach 22 inches in length.
These fast-growing beans only take 50 to 80 days to reach maturity. So, you won’t have to wait long to incorporate these beauties into your dinner recipes. The sweet, nutty flavor works great in salads or stir-fry.
Read more about red noodle beans.
Asparagus Beans
You can find asparagus beans with red or green pods, but regardless of color, they’re easy to grow at home. Give them sturdy support, and they’ll show off with their vigorous growth.
Asparagus beans grow between 24 and 26 inches long, taking around 77 days to reach maturity.
These versatile yard long beans taste great cooked or raw with their crisp-yet-tender texture.
Read more about asparagus beans.
Mosaic Beans
If you live in an especially warm climate, mosaic beans are the way to go. These hardworking yard long beans will create a larger harvest than you know what to do with.
Implied by the name, mosaic bean pods are a beautiful mix of purple, green, and red. They taste their best sauteed in ginger with chicken and noodles.
Yu Long Noodle Kin Beans
Yu long noodle kin beans get the prize for one of the longest yard long beans. Given 65 to 75 days, these beans will show off in size and quantity.
You can expect beans to grow 30 inches in length. That’s seriously impressive!
They have a classic dark green color, similar to asparagus. For best results with this variety, try companion planting with spinach and arugula.
White Seeded Beans
If you’re looking to switch up varieties, try white seeded beans. They grow up to two feet in length when thriving in their preferred warm, sunny climate.
The light green pods contain white seeds and pair beautifully with dark green or purple yard long beans. Mix all three to create a tri-color stir-fry recipe.
Kurosanjaku Beans
Kurosanjaku beans make good succession beans since they begin to mature later in the season, taking 70 to 90 days. Plant these along with early maturing varieties, such as red noodle beans, for a season-long harvest.
The true green pods of Kurosanjaku have black seeds within them. So, your guests are in for a surprise when they bite in these yard long beans!
Akasanjaku Beans
Akasanjaku beans are one of the smallest varieties of yard long beans, growing 12 to 16 inches in length. While the pod is similar in color to Kurosanjaku, the bean seeds within are dark red instead of black.
What Akasanjaku beans lack in length, they make up for in flavor. Their sweet taste makes the perfect side for roasted chicken. Or, get out your wok and create Sichuan dry fried green beans with this delicious variety.
Purple Mart Tsu In Beans
The purple mart tsu bean has an interesting quirk that can only be discovered while cooking. The beans start out dark purple and turn to black as they’re heated. It’s a sure way to get the kids interested in eating their veggies!
The 20-inch bean pods mature in early summer and will add a variety of color to your garden.
You Fong Wong Beans
You fong wong beans are another variety of yard long beans known for their remarkable length. The pods grow up to 30 inches long, so you don’t need very many to feed your family.
The slender pods have thick skin, which makes this variety a top contender for storage. Store your freshly picked beans in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, and you’ll have fresh beans for days.
Oriental Yard Long Beans
Oriental yard long beans are a crowd favorite for True Leaf Market, where you can purchase a variety of yard long bean seeds. What makes them so special? They grow almost anywhere, being hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9.
With good support and sufficient watering, these beans will take off. The pods reach anywhere from two to three feet long.
Cut them up in two-inch sections, and sauté them in the place of green beans for a tasty side.
Dark Green Beans
Dark green beans are a crisp variety that you’ll find yourself substituting for snap peas. The dark green pods reach up to 20 inches in length, containing reddish-brown seeds within.
This is a late-season variety, so plant them to cap off the growing season right.
Try Yard Long Beans in Your Garden or Kitchen!
Are you ready to try your hand at growing one of these yard long bean varieties? No matter which one you choose, rest assured that you’ll be glad you have access to this fresh ingredient. From stir-fry to roasted sheet pan meals, these beans carry their weight in the kitchen.
Are you aware of all the different types of beans you can grow? Get to know this garden workhorse by visiting our Bean Plants page for more blog posts and guides.