The History of Green Beans

Green beans originated in the Andes and have been grown in Mesoamerica for thousands of years. After Christopher Columbus arrived in the area, he brought samples back to Europe and the first botanical drawing of bush beans was created by Leonhart Fuchs in 1542. Early green beans were typically tough and stringy, but cross-breeding introduced more palatable varieties. In 1877, the Kentucky Wonder pole bean was developed, making it easier to grow green beans vertically. In 1889, Calvin Keeney developed snap peas for the seed provider, Burpee. The variety was quite popular was was later supplanted by Tendergreen beans in 1925. While green beans became more palatable, their short harvest season continued to limit their popularity. However, when canning and then home refrigerators and freezers were introduced in the 19th and 20th centuries, green beans became a widespread dietary staple. In 1962, the famous Bush Blue Lake variety was introduced and soon became incredibly popular. Today, green beans remain a staple crop in North America as well as in many other parts of the world.