Black flowered broad bean?

[Jayb]

Not something I've ever noticed before a mutant broad bean! Just the one black flower on a Crimson Flowered (or possibly Crimson x I hope). It's not quite fully open yet but looks to be a solid black colour inside, so far the only one on the plant. Just wondered if this is a common thing, seems odd to have two types of flowers on the same plant?

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[Jayb]

[galina]

Never seen anything like it.  Please more photos as the flower opens.  How interesting!

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's most unusual. Do post more pics!

[Jayb]

As it turns out, not a single black flower but buds that mature from red to black/dark chocolate. Defo a cross  ;D Hoping to be able to save seed to grow next year.

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[Digeroo]

I had a packet from Robinsons a few years ago and very few of them turned out to be crimson.  Quite a few were black.  They did not come up black the following year.  Quite a few were muddy pink and black.

[Jayb]

More colours from the same batch of plants

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Thanks Digeroo, I thought that may be the case, but I doubt I'll be able to resist seeing what occurs!

[Duke Ellington]

Those would look good in a flower border.
They are pretty.

Duke

[cambourne7]

Looks so pretty!

[galina]

Both the chocolate/mocha and the stripey purple one are outstandingly beautiful.  Now if you could only isolate them and get them to breed pure.

Definitely one for the decorative edible border. 

[Jayb]

Both the chocolate/mocha and the stripey purple one are outstandingly beautiful.  Now if you could only isolate them and get them to breed pure.

That would be a real treat  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Those look like Robinson's strain of crimson-flowered. I grew them a few years back and the flowers were just like that. I'm growing Etty's strain this year.

[poppie1]

hi jayb,
i'm not much of a flowsy person,but i must say they are beautiful,i would grow them in my beds and borders anyday.and i'm not keen on broad beens really,but you could grow to love them(just for those wonderful flowers)

[Jayb]

I was a bit late getting the seed I saved sown and planted out this season, but they are just starting to flower. Looks like a range of colours again, sadly I haven't spotted a chocolate mocca yet! I'll have to check my labels but I think some of the crimson flowers are from white, some green and possibly red seeded plants.
I've also sown some of the Epicure x Red Crimson again, mostly white flowered but a few are red.

[Digeroo]

I have one black one this year.  My own saved bean so there is a random smattering of pinks and reds. 

Robinsons produce a much bigger plant than T&M crimson flowered, though T&M are almost all deep red.

In my experience the seeds of crimson flowers are green.   I have some russian pink seeded ones I might try and x with the crimson flowers. 

I actually think the beans of crimson ones are rather disappointing on the edible front.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Crimson BB seeds are always green. There are undoubtedly several different strains; I like them, but they're doing badly this year. All my BB's are, but some are coping far better than others. There are seven varieties here, and as you can see, some have hardly grown at all, and have been hammered by slugs.