French Horticultural Beans are a cranberry-type bean that grow on a bush-type bean plant that produces runners.
The plant can grow up to 18 inches (45 cm) tall; 65 days from seed; 90 days for dried beans.
It produces cream-coloured pods with dark red stripes on them.
It is very easy to shell the beans from the pod.
French Horticultural Beans are usually used as a shelling bean (the stage in-between fresh and dried beans.)
When dried, the beans are buff pink or dark brown pink with red splotches.
French Horticultural Beans cook up firm, with a mildly nutty flavour and are popular in France.
Equivalents
1 pound (450 g) = 4 to 5 cups, cooked.
Storage Hints
French Horticultural Beans freeze and can well.