The common bean (also referred to as the string bean, field bean, flageolet bean, French bean, garden bean, green bean, haricot bean, pop bean, or snap bean) is a herbaceous annual plant. Botanically speaking, it belongs to the legume family Fabaceae, together with other Phaseolus species.
The common bean is a changeable species that has been cultivated already for a very long time. Wild varieties often tend to grow upwards, however many types are identified as ‘bush beans’ or ‘pole beans’, depending on how they grow. Kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans and wax beans belong to this group.