Seneca Bearpaw Scarlet Runner Bean

3D Model

An heirloom pole bean traditionally grown by the Seneca people of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Bearpaw Scarlet Runner Bean is celebrated for its striking scarlet flowers—favored by hummingbirds—and large, tender pods. The beans themselves are black with subtle tints of pink and purple, prized for both their flavor and their role in traditional dishes, including soups, stews, and succotash. This vigorous, climbing bean thrives in the Three Sisters companion planting system, growing alongside corn and squash while enriching the soil through nitrogen fixation.

Historically, the Seneca cultivated Bearpaw Scarlet Runner Beans as both a reliable food source and an important component of agricultural and ceremonial traditions.

At the Indigenous Community Garden at Virginia Tech, the Seneca Bearpaw Scarlet Runner Bean is grown to honor Seneca foodways, support community food sovereignty, and provide hands-on learning with heritage crops.