cerise du Japon
(cerise du Japon, Cherry Bean, Cherry Japanese Bean, Cherry Japanese French Bean, Kirsche Japanische Ohne Bast “Cherry Japanese Edible pod” 1, Japanse Kersenboon, Japanische Kirchbohne, Stangenbohne Kirsch 1)
(Pole) Cerise du Japon is a French heirloom pole bean, originally from Japan. It was introduced to France in 1885 by M. Paillieux. Commercially sold as early as 1889 in the Vilmorin-Andrieux seed catalogue. It received mention in 1860 as Phaseolus sphœricus purpureus in the work of botanist Georg von Martens.
Days to Maturity: 70 days fresh, 100 days dry
History
Cerise du Japon is an old French pole bean variety, originally from Japan. 2 According to an 1891 Vilmorin-Andrieux & cie publication and the French publication ‘Les Haricots’, this variety was first introduced to France by M. Paillieux in 1885. 4 It is likely that this reference is to agriculturist M. Nicolas-Auguste (“Auguste”) Paillieux * (1812-1898). 5
 Pg 303, Vilmorin-Andrieux & cie, Les Plantes potageres, 1891 |  |
| Pg 304, Vilmorin-Andrieux & cie, Les Plantes potageres, 1891 |
[English] “It is to the tireless researcher, Mr. Paillieux, that the introduction of this new variety of bean is due, as distinct as possible from all those that have been cultivated until now. It is a large stalked bean, reaching 2m, 50 or 3 meters in height, with sustained vegetation and very abundant production; the smooth leaves, of medium size, are abundant and a little dull green; lilac flowers; very numerous, very short pods, rarely exceeding 0m, 05 or 0m, 06 in length and containing 4 to 6 ovoid grains, slightly depressed in the shape of a lens, of a solid wine red with white umbilia. The pods are a little dry and not very fleshy but they are frankly devoid of parchment and even threads. The H. cerise du Japon is remarkable for its hardiness and is particularly suitable for crops with little care.” (Pg 303-304, 1891, Les Plantes potageres: Description et culture des principaux légumes des climats tempérés, Vilmorin-Andrieux & cie)
 Pg 304, Vilmorin-Andrieux & cie, Les Plantes potageres, 1891 |  |
| Pg 124, C.Denaiffe‚ ‘Les Haricots‘ 1906 |
[English] “A few days later than the Mont d’Or butter bean, the Japanese cherry bean is also a very productive breed; the date of its introduction in our country dates back to 1885, when Mr Pailleux pointed it out to horticulturists; its culture abroad is very old: it was already known in 1860, being described in the work of Martens which dates back to that time, under the name of the Phaseolus sphoericus purpureus. Despite its qualutes, this breed seems notably ingerious with beans Butter of Mont d’Or a raines and black Algiers” (Pg 124. C.Denaiffe, Les Haricots, 1906.)
In 1860 cerise du Japon received mention as ‘Phaseolus sphœricus purpureus‘ in the work of German botanist Georg von Martens. (Pg 124, C.Denaiffe, Les Haricots, 1906.) Cerise du Japon was commercially sold as early as 1889 in the Vilmorin-Andrieux seed catalogue – “medium sized pods, fleshy, extremely abundant. Grain dark red, round” (Pg 38-39, Vilmorin Andrieux Catalogue, 1889.). The 1894 Vilmorin-Andrieux catalogue similarly states, “Pods very abundant, fleshy; round grain, dark red”.
 |  |
| Pg 47, Vilmorin Andrieux Catalogue, 1894. |
It is refered to as ‘Cherry Japanese Bean’, and ‘Cherry Japanese French Bean’ in the 1920 Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie English publication, ‘The vegetable garden; illustrations, descriptions, and culture of the garden vegetables of cold and temperate climates’
 |  Pg 79, Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie, ‘The vegetable garden’, 1920. |
| Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie, ‘The vegetable garden’, 1920. |
Resources:
* Nicolas Auguste Paillieux was a member of ‘Société Nationale d’Horticulture’ since 1878. 6 In 1885 Paillieux coauthored with Désiré Bois ‘Le Potager d’un Curieux’ (A Garden of Curiosities). 7 Nicolas Paillieux is most noted for his extensive work with soy, 7 and for introducing the crosne to Europe. 8
Here is a biography of Nicolas Auguste Paillieux.
Varietal Information
| Habit: | Pole |
| Avg. Plant Height: | |
| Pod Type: | |
| Dry/Fresh Use: | |
| Flower Colour: | |
| Pod Colour: | |
| Seed Coat: | * Occasional pink mottling and streaking observed. |
| Hilum Ring: | |
| Avg. Pod Length x Width | |
| Grain Shape: | |
| Grain Size: | |
| Avg. Seeds Per Pod: | |
| Avg. Seed Gram/Plant: | |
| Notes: |