Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean,[3] is a herbaceous annual plant grown worldwide for its edible dry seeds or green, unripe pods.

Like most members of this family, common beans acquire the nitrogen they require through an association with rhizobia, which are nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

In 2022, 28 million tonnes of dry common beans were produced worldwide, led by India with 23% of the total.

The beans cultivated in Europe prior to the Columbian Exchange were of Asian origin and are unrelated to New World Phaseolus species.

The Eurasian species were transferred to other genera including Vigna, Vicia and Lablab, so members of the Phaseolus genus are now all from the Americas.

[10] Ancient Greeks used the word φάσηλος (phasēlos) to refer to the beans of Asian origins that were cultivated in Europe at the time.

[14] When Phaseolus vulgaris arrived in Europe in the 16th century, this species was yet another seed in a pod, thus there were already words in the European languages describing it.

In Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, the Spanish name 'poroto' is used, being derived from its corresponding Quechua word.

Additional names include the Castilian Spanish frijol, the Portuguese feijão, and the Catalan fesol.

[15][16] However, recent genetic analyses show that it was domesticated in Mexico first, then split into the Mesoamerican and Andean P. vulgaris gene pools.

[17] Beans, squash and maize (corn) are the three Mesoamerican crops that constitute the "Three Sisters", central to indigenous American agriculture.

[21] Small-seeded varieties were found in sites in Mexico, dating to 300 BC, which then spread north and east of the Mississippi River by 1000 AD.

[22] In 2022, world production of dry common beans was 28 million tonnes, led by India with 23% of the total.

To safely cook the beans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends boiling for 30 minutes to ensure they reach a sufficient temperature for long enough to destroy the toxin completely.

The pods of snap beans (green, yellow, and purple) are harvested when they are rapidly growing, fleshy, tender (not tough and stringy), and bright in color, and the seeds are small and underdeveloped (8 to 10 days after flowering).

nunas (formerly P. vulgaris Nuñas group), with round, multicolored seeds that resemble pigeon eggs.

When cooked on high heat, the bean explodes, exposing the inner part in the manner of popcorn and other puffed grains.

P. vulgaris has been found to bio-accumulate zinc, manganese, and iron and have some tolerance to their respective toxicities, suggesting suitability for natural bio-remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils.

[53][non-primary source needed] In 1528, Pope Clemente VII received some white beans, which thrived.