West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.
For every order online, we donate a pack of seeds to gardens and communities worldwide through our Seeds of Growth program, supporting sustainable growth and local food systems.
The large clusters of beautiful scarlet flowers and rapid, vigorous, sprawling growth make Scarlet Emperor an ideal choice for screens, trellises, and balconies. The long pods are tender and tasty when picked small. If undisturbed, the roots may overwinter and re-grow the following spring in mild winter areas. Even if it doesn’t come back as a perennial, the seeds are large and easy to harvest and dry for future plantings. The seeds are black, streaked with purple. Grow Scarlet Emperor runner beans up a tall, strong trellis, and it will reach 3m (10') or higher by mid-summer.
Matures in 75 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)
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Latin
Latin
Phaseolus coccineus
Family: Fabaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
We Recommend
We Recommend: Scarlet Emperor (BN127). Tall to the point of being massive, these vines just keep growing. Starting in mid-summer the plants are festooned in brilliant scarlet flowers – and then come the beans by the bushel.
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full-sun
Timing
Timing
Direct sow from late spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, seeds will rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature: 21-32°C (70-90°F).
Starting
Starting
Seeds can be started indoors, or sowed directly. Set seeds 7-10cm (3-4″) apart and 3.5cm (1½”) deep at the base of a support. Plants will climb by twining around almost anything. Try rough poles, lumber, re-bar, or build a strong trellis 2-2.5m (6-8′) tall. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on soil conditions.
Growing
Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. Too much nitrogen in fertilizer or manure may cause poor pod set and delayed maturity. If beans flower but do not set pods, the cause can be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp based fertilizer. Wet leaves on crowded plants are subject to diseases. Thin plants to increase air circulation and avoid touching the leaves while they are wet.
Harvest
Harvest
Beans can be picked when plump-looking. You may dry beans to preserve them, or cook them soon after harvesting. You must ensure that you cook these beans thoroughly; raw runner beans contain lectin, a toxin that is removed by the cooking process.
Seed Info
Seed Info
In optimal conditions at least 75% of seeds should germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Direct sow from late spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, seeds will rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature: 21-32°C (70-90°F).
Seeds can be started indoors, or sowed directly. Set seeds 7-10cm (3-4″) apart and 3.5cm (1½”) deep at the base of a support. Plants will climb by twining around almost anything. Try rough poles, lumber, re-bar, or build a strong trellis 2-2.5m (6-8′) tall. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on soil conditions.
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5
Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. Too much nitrogen in fertilizer or manure may cause poor pod set and delayed maturity. If beans flower but do not set pods, the cause can be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp based fertilizer.
Days to maturity: From direct sowing.
In optimal conditions at least 75% of seeds should germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years.
Beans can be picked when plump-looking. You may dry beans to preserve them, or cook them soon after harvesting. You must ensure that you cook these beans thoroughly; raw runner beans contain lectin, a toxin that is removed by the cooking process.
