Scarlett Runner Beans fascinate me in part because of the raging debate over whether or not they are toxic. Some insist they are and others say they eat them right of the stems. It did not say anything on the seed packet about them being toxic, but they are safe from me and I from them at present as the flowers which some say are not only edible but delicious, are too pretty to eat, just yet at least:
The blossoms certainly live up to their name. The University of Florida Extension site states that "Both the pods and the green shelled beans are edible in the fresh stage" and also that Phaseolus coccineus L is a vigorous climbing plant that can grow as high as 15 feet and that the flowers open up to an inch wide. My plants are small now, but there is plenty of room for them to climb up this wall:
I read somewhere else, that when saving beans to plant next season they should be allowed to dry in the pods until you can hear them rattling around when you shake them. But it is also said that they do not set pods in warm weather, so it will be a while before I can put that to the test.
I don't know if this bean has any more of the "poisonous" lectin Phytohaemagglutinin (aka phytohemagglutinin) than any other bean, but that is the chemical that is accused of being responsible for some people getting sick if they eat these beans raw. Other people apparently have no side effects from munching.