Golden Wax Bush Bean Seeds - (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Golden Wax Bush Bean - Discover Why "Buttery" Describes This Bean

The Golden Wax Bush Bean is pure sunshine captured in a pod. Its vibrant, golden-yellow beans don't just brighten your garden rows with cheerful color; they bring a reliably sweet, buttery flavor and exceptionally tender, stringless texture to your summer table with remarkable ease. Growing on compact, productive bush plants that ask for little fuss, this delightful combination of garden performance and kitchen excellence explains its century-and-a-half of popularity.

Details

Instantly recognizable by its bright golden-yellow pods, Golden Wax is a classic heirloom bush bean prized for a reliably tender texture, rich flavor, and consistent production. As a member of the Legume family, it forms symbiotic relationships with soil bacteria (rhizobia) to fix atmospheric nitrogen, converting it into a form usable by plants and enriching the soil. This variety grows in a compact, determinate bush habit, typically reaching 12 to 24 inches tall and spreading 10 to 18 inches wide, making it an excellent choice for smaller gardens or rows where staking is not desired. Its determinate nature means plants tend to grow to a certain size, set their flowers, and produce the majority of their crop over a relatively concentrated period, which can be particularly advantageous for gardeners aiming to can, freeze, or pickle a significant amount of beans at once. The bright golden color of the pods not only gives the bean its name but also makes them easy to spot amongst the green foliage during harvest.

The term "snap bean" refers to the fact that the pods are harvested and eaten whole, at an immature stage when they are tender and "snap" cleanly when bent. For Golden Wax, these are a vibrant bright golden-yellow, straight, and can be round to somewhat flat, usually 5 to 7 inches long. A key appeal is that the pods are consistently stringless. Golden Wax is a warm-season annual suited for USDA Zones 3-10/11, maturing relatively early, often 50 to 60 days from direct sowing, and is commonly noted for good resistance to Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV).

History

While the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) originated in the Americas thousands of years ago, often grown in "Three Sisters" plantings, yellow wax beans as a distinct type have their own fascinating journey. Believed to have traveled from Central America to Algeria, they were introduced to France in the 1840s, with recipes featuring baked wax beans appearing on French menus by the late 1800s. These beans also became a cherished summer garden vegetable in Hungary. The specific Golden Wax bean was first introduced around 1871, cementing its status as a true heirloom cultivated for over 150 years. An 1893 Iowa Seed Catalog from Currie Bros. featured "Golden Wax," describing it as "the most popular of any Wax Beans grown...pods golden yellow, tender and rich." It's noteworthy that stringless bean varieties have only been widely cultivated for about the last century.

Uses

The Golden Wax Bush Bean is prized for its exceptional buttery flavor and reliably tender texture, which are showcased in its many kitchen uses. The pods are consistently described as having a delicious, rich, buttery flavor, often noted as mild and sweet, with some finding its taste more distinctive than standard green beans. The texture at the snap stage is highly praised for being tender, meaty, crisp, and succulent. It's worth clarifying the "wax" in its name refers primarily to the golden beeswax-like color of the pods, not an unpleasantly waxy mouthfeel. The prominence of the "buttery" descriptor suggests a unique and appealing flavor note that distinguishes it from more vegetal green beans.

Primarily enjoyed as snap beans, the pods are excellent fresh in salads, or cooked via steaming, boiling, sautéing, or baking, where their beautiful color and buttery taste make them a standout side dish. Golden Wax beans are also highly regarded for preservation, holding their quality well when canned or frozen. 

Companion Planting

As a legume, Golden Wax beans contribute to soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, benefiting nearby plants, especially heavy feeders. They fit well into traditional plantings like the Three Sisters (with corn and squash, though as a bush bean, they provide ground cover rather than climbing). Planting with carrots, cucumbers, or beets (for bush beans) is often considered compatible. Aromatic herbs like summer savory or rosemary are sometimes planted nearby to deter bean beetles, while marigolds help with nematodes, and nasturtiums can act as a trap crop for aphids. 

Avoid planting beans near members of the Allium family (onions, garlic) or Fennel, as they are generally considered antagonistic.

Planting and Growing Tips

Golden Wax beans are a warm-season crop and relatively easy to grow. Direct sow seeds 1 inch deep only after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 65°F (70-85°F is optimal for germination). Avoid soaking seeds before planting, as soaking can cause the seed coat to swell too quickly and crack, or make the white seeds more prone to rotting, especially if soil conditions are not perfectly warm and well-drained. Plant into moist soil. Space seeds about 2-4 inches apart in rows 18-24 inches apart, or plant more densely and thin to a final spacing of 4-6 inches. For a continuous supply, consider succession planting every 2-3 weeks.

Choose a site with full sun (6-8+ hours) and well-drained, fertile loamy soil. Amend with compost before planting. Beans are light feeders due to nitrogen fixation; avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer. Consistent moisture (about 1 inch per week) is vital, especially during flowering and pod set – water deeply at the soil level. Mulch helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Monitor for common pests like Mexican bean beetles and aphids, and diseases like blights or rust (though BCMV resistance is a plus). Practice crop rotation.

Harvesting Tips

Harvest Golden Wax beans frequently for the best quality. For snap beans, pick pods when they are firm, crisp, fully elongated to 5-7 inches (or slightly smaller for peak tenderness), and bright golden-yellow, before the seeds inside cause noticeable bulges. They should snap cleanly. Check plants every 1-2 days during peak production, gently snapping or snipping pods from the plant. If harvesting for dry beans, leave pods on the plant until they are brown, brittle, and the seeds inside are hard; harvest before pods shatter. 

Learn More

• A Short History of Beans
• Lemony Green Beans
• Young Green Beans with Dijon Vinaigrette

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