Plant Database / Bean / Purple King care

Bean 'Purple King'

Phaseolus vulgaris

24 plantings
3 available for swap
4 wanted
21 stashed

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Purple King is part of the Phaseolus genus and is a Bean variety. Its scientific name is Phaseolus vulgaris 'Purple King'. 'Purple King' is considered a heirloom cultivar.

heirloom ¹ variety of climbing bean that is an Australian favourite producing straight
flat bright purple pods that grow up to 17cm long.
Sometimes called Magic Beans because the purple pods turn green when they are cooked; giving these beans an inbuilt timer to prevent overcooking!
The plants crop in approximately 90 days and will produce continuously over an extended season.

Purple King grows as an Annual and is a Vegetable. Being an Annual, it tends to grow best over the course of a single year. Purple King normally grows to a max height of 4.94 feet (1.52 metres metric).

Mexico is believed to be where Purple King originates from.

Purple King Bean is normally fairly low maintenance and is normally quite easy to grow, as long as a level of basic care is provided throughout the year. Being aware of the basic soil, sun and water preferences will result in a happier and healthier plant.

This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Bean 'Purple King' have been kindly provided by our members.

How to grow Bean 'Purple King'

Full Sun
+
Medium

Plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Purple King is thought of as tender, so it is imperative to wait until temperatures are mild before planting out of doors. USDA Hardiness Zone 5 to 13 are typically the USDA Hardiness Zones that are appropriate for this plant (although this can vary based on your microclimate). Purple King tends to grow best in a soil ph of between 6.0 and 6.8 meaning it does best in weakly acidic soil.

Growing Purple King from seed

Ensure a distance of 3.9 inches (10.0 cm) between seeds when sowing - look to sow at a depth of approximately 1.95 inches (5.0 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 16°C / 61°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Purple King about 14 days after your last frost date.

Transplanting Purple King

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Purple King is a tender plant.

Harvesting Purple King

Bean 'Purple King' information

Lifecycle The lifecycle that Purple King exhibits. Annual Category The category for the Purple King plant. Vegetable
Hardiness Is Purple King frost hardy? Tender Country of Origin Where does Purple King come from? Mexico
Mature Height How tall does Purple King grow? 1.52 metres / 4.94 feet Mature Spread How wide does Purple King grow? 46.0 cm / 1.50 feet
USDA Zone Range What zones does Purple King grow best in? Zone 5 - Zone 13 pH Range The level of acidity for Purple King. 6.0 - 6.8
Sun How much sunlight does Purple King need to grow? Full Sun
Water Requirements How much water does Purple King require? Medium Nitrogen Requirements How much nitrogen fertiliser does Purple King need? Low
Ideal Germination Temperature Range What temperatures does Purple King need in order to germinate? 16°C / 61°F to 26°C / 79°F Growing Temperatures What temperatures are best to grow Purple King in? Help build our wiki! to Help build our wiki!
Sowing Depth How deep to plant Purple King? 5.0 cm / 1.95 inches
Sowing Distance Apart How far apart to sow Purple King 10.0 cm / 3.9 inches
Edible? Is Purple King edible? edible

How long does Purple King take to grow?

These estimates for how long Bean 'Purple King' takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world. Start logging and journaling your observations to participate!

Days to Germination How long does it take Purple King to germinate? 9 days Average 9 days | Min 6 days | Max 28 days (11)
Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Purple King? + 22 days Average 22 days | Min 22 days | Max 22 days (1)
Days to Maturity How long until Purple King is ready for harvest / bloom? + 50 days Average 50 days | Min days | Max days (0)
Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Purple King? = 81 days