What is the difference between French beans and string beans?

1. Leaf Difference

The leaves of green beans grow in opposite single leaves, which are nearly heart-shaped. The terminal leaflets are broadly ovate or diamond-shaped ovate, about 4 to 16 cm long and 3 to 11 cm wide. The tips of the leaves are sharp, and the base is broadly cuneate or rounded. The veins on both sides are covered with soft hairs, and the leaflets growing on the sides are oblique.

The beans have pinnate compound leaves with 3 leaflets. The stipules are lanceolate, about 1 cm long, and the leaflets are ovate-rhombic, about 5 to 15 cm long and about 4 to 6 cm wide. The tip of the leaves is acute and sometimes the leaves are lavender.

2. Flower Differences

The green bean has a raceme inflorescence, with flowers growing at the top of the peduncle, bracts oblique, and corollas that are white, yellow, lavender or purple, about 1.5 to 2 cm long.

The beans have axillary racemes, with 2 to 6 flowers clustered at the top of the inflorescence. The corolla is yellow-white with a slight bluish-purple tint and is about 2 cm long.

3. Fruit Difference

The green bean pods are linear, slightly swollen, 10 to 15 cm long, about 1 cm wide, hairless, and straight or slightly curved. 4 to 8 seeds.

The pods of beans are drooping, linear, upright or oblique, about 7.5 to 70 cm long and 6 to 12 mm wide. There are multiple seeds, which are oblong or cylindrical.