The Mitla Black is a pre-Columbian cultivar from the Mitla Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. Tepary beans thrive in hot, arid growing conditions and generally have a low and sprawling growth habit. The most widely adapted Mitla Black forms a dense and compact plant with short runners. Thin pods contain 3-5 small, round, slightly flattened black beans that are excellent for black bean soup, and for baking. This is the classic delicious Italian gourmet bean.
Beans are buff-colored with a white eye.
They produce well over a long period, making them perfect for fresh eating. They are excellent for canning and freezing as well. Originating with the Tarahumara Indians in the mountains of Mexico, these are the showiest of all our bean varieties. The color show goes on for weeks during the height of summer as flamboyant red flowers, a magnet to hummingbirds and beneficial insects, grace the trailing plants with their broad, deep green leaves.