Pole Lima Speckled Christmas
Pole Lima Speckled Christmas is a classic flat lima bean shape bean with fruit around Large flat lima, 0.8-1 inch long. Ready from roughly day 90-95. Germination takes 7-14 days. Space 6-8 inches apart at pH 6.0-6.8. Full sun (6-8 hours).
Sowing
Direct sow 2-3 weeks after last frost in warm soil. Provide 8-foot tall support structure.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6-8 hours)
- Water
- 1-1.5 inches per week, deep watering
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with good organic content
- Soil pH
- 6.0-6.8
- Spacing
- 6-8 inches
- Season
- Warm season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Cream with burgundy speckles
- Size
- Large flat lima, 0.8-1 inch long
- Shape
- Classic flat lima bean shape
- Flavour
- Rich, buttery, and creamy with mild lima flavor
In the kitchen
Succotash, butter bean dishes, soups, and Southern cuisine. Excellent fresh or dried.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Lima bean pod borer, Mexican bean beetle, aphids
- Diseases
- Downy mildew, bacterial blight, lima bean mosaic virus
- Resistance
- Good natural resistance to common lima bean diseases
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | — | — | June – August | October – September |
| 3 | — | — | June – July | October |
| 4 | — | — | June – July | September – October |
| 5 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| 6 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| 7 | — | — | April – June | August – October |
| 8 | — | — | April – May | August – September |
| 9 | — | — | March – April | July – August |
| 10 | — | — | February – April | June – August |
| 11 | — | — | January – March | May – July |
| 12 | — | — | January – March | May – July |
| 13 | — | — | January – March | May – July |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Protein (g)
- 1.97
- Fat (g)
- 0.275
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 7.41
- Fibre (g)
- 3.01
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 43.9
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.121
- Calcium (mg)
- 40
- Iron (mg)
- 0.652
- Magnesium (mg)
- 28.2
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 41.2
- Potassium (mg)
- 290
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.35
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Pole Lima Speckled Christmas?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other beans with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Pole Lima Speckled Christmas suits these too.
- King of the Garden Lima Pole 90 days
- Cherokee Pink Bean 90 days
- Black Turtle Bush Bean 90 days
- Jacob's Cattle Pole Bean 90 days
- Jacob's Cattle Bush Bean 85 days
- Fordhook 242 85 days