Runner beans often flower well and then fail to set pods. One cause is heat; the other is cold, wet or windy weather that keeps bees and other pollinators away. Scottish summers bring more of the second, so the most useful trait in a variety here is being self-fertileA plant that can set fruit using its own pollen, without needing a second, different variety nearby to cross-pollinate it. Full definition →: able to set pods without insects.
Quick answer
Stardust, which is self-fertile and gives heavy crops. Firelight is also virtually self-fertile, on a shorter plant. White Lady for a smaller plot, Enorma for long pods, and the dwarf Hestia for pots.
What Scotland means for the choice
Scotland's weather is wetter and windier than the English lowlands most advice is written for. Poor pod-set in cold, wet or windy weather comes from a lack of pollinators, so a self-fertile variety avoids the problem, and a sheltered site helps any variety by encouraging bees to visit. Height matters too: a taller plant carries more leaf and pod into the wind. All of these are planted out after the last frost, so hardiness doesn't separate them. The runner bean growing guide covers sowing, supports and watering.
| Variety | Self-fertile | Height / spread | Flowers | Stands out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stardust | Yes | 2.5–4m / 1–1.5m | White | Heavy crops; stringless |
| Firelight | Virtually | 1.5–2.5m / 0.1–0.5m | Scarlet, loved by bees | Good pod-set on a shorter plant |
| Moonlight | Not stated | 2.5–4m / 1–1.5m | White | Stringless; crops well |
| White Lady | Not stated | 1.5–2.5m / 0.5–1m | White | Stringless; shorter plant |
| Liberty | Not stated | 2.5–4m / 0.1–0.5m | Red | Large crops of long, well-flavoured pods |
| Enorma (Elite) | Not stated | 1.5–2.5m / 0.1–0.5m | Scarlet | Heavy crops of long, slender pods |
All except Firelight hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGMThe RHS's Award of Garden Merit: a UK-wide trials award for reliable performance, not a Scotland-specific recommendation. Full definition →), a UK-wide award rather than a Scottish one.
Stardust and Firelight
Stardust is a British-bred runner and French bean hybrid, self-fertile, with heavy crops of stringless pods. Since it doesn't need insects to set pods, a cool, wet or windy week at flowering matters less. It's a tall plant, up to 4m, so give it a strong support and the most sheltered spot you have.
Firelight is virtually self-fertile too, with good pod-set and scarlet flowers that bees love. At 1.5–2.5m it's shorter than Stardust, which helps on an exposed plot. It doesn't hold the AGM, and it can suffer from rust, slugs, snails and blackfly.
Moonlight, White Lady and Liberty
Moonlight is another runner and French bean cross, stringless and a good cropper, but it isn't described as self-fertile. White Lady has white flowers and stringless pods on a plant of 1.5–2.5m, easier to keep upright in wind than the tallest varieties. Liberty gives large crops of long pods with a good flavour and red flowers, and carries the "Plants for pollinators" badge, but it grows as tall as Stardust.
Enorma and Hestia
Enorma (Elite) crops heavily with long, slender pods, good enough to win local shows, on a plant of 1.5–2.5m that also carries the pollinator badge. Hestia is a dwarf runner bean, only 45cm tall, for containers or the most exposed spots.
Which one for your situation
- Reliable pods in a cool, wet or windy summer: Stardust.
- Self-fertile on a shorter, more exposed plot: Firelight.
- A smaller plot, stringless pods: White Lady.
- Long pods, or showing: Enorma.
- A pot or a very windy spot: Hestia.
Rust is listed for Moonlight, Stardust, Enorma and Firelight (see runner bean rust); White Lady can get chocolate spot, downy and powdery mildews and foot and root rot, and Liberty foot rot. Protect young plants from slugs and watch for blackfly.
Common questions
Why do my runner beans flower but not set pods?
Usually the weather at flowering: heat, or cold, wet or windy spells that keep pollinators away. A self-fertile variety such as Stardust or Firelight, and a sheltered site, help most in Scotland.
Is Moonlight or Stardust better for Scotland?
Stardust. Both are tall, stringless runner and French bean crosses, but Stardust is self-fertile, so it sets pods without insects.
Is there a dwarf runner bean?
Yes. Hestia grows to only 45cm, against 1.5–4m for the climbing varieties, and suits containers or windy spots.
Sources
Show the 9 sources
- Runner beans: grow your own: AGM varieties and descriptions; Stardust self-fertile; Firelight virtually self-fertile
- Runner beans: failure to set pods: Heat, and cold, wet or windy weather keeping pollinators away; shelter encourages bees
- Growing runner beans: secrets of success: Wind shelter and pollination; dwarf Hestia
- Moonlight: Height and spread, flowers, stringless, rust
- Stardust: Height and spread, flowers, stringless, rust
- White Lady: Height and spread, flowers, stringless, diseases
- Liberty: Height and spread, flowers, foot rot, pollinator badge
- Enorma (Elite): Height and spread, flowers, show quality, rust, pollinator badge
- Firelight: Height and spread, flowers loved by bees, no AGM, rust, slugs, snails and blackfly