| Scientific Name: | Phaseolus vulgaris |
| Common Name: | common bean, black bean, kidney bean, pinto bean, French bean |
| Family Name: | Fabaceae |
| Origin: | Central America, South America |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Annual (true), Vine or climber |
| Mature Size: | 0.7 - 1.3m x 2 - 3m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Spreading |
| Form: | Creeping / Mat-like, Irregular |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Urban agriculture |
| Exposure: | Full sun, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Compound, Alternate, Soft flexible, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Trifoliate (ternate), Ovate, Entire |
| Flowers: | Raceme, White, Orange, Violet, Purple, Pink, Jun-Jul-Aug |
| Fruit: | Legume, Green, Aug-Sep |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves alternate with three oval, leaflets with entire margins, 6-15cm long; flowers white, pink, or purple, about 1cm long; legumes green, yellow, black, or purple, 8-20cm long x 1-1.5cm wide, each containing 4-6 kidney-shaped beans up to 1.5cm long. | |