a few years ago I saw seed of this variety offered for sale...I have been looking now for several years and have not seen it anywhere...what happened to it? I wanted to try it...

Are you referring to a Romano (or Italian) type, or a dry type of bean? I love those Romanos and can't find even frozen ones anymore. Apparently they aren't popular anymore, so I have to grow them if I want them.

Banner is a small Fava (Vicia faba) commonly called broad beans in North America. Here are two possible sources in north America. http://www.endtimesreport.com/... http://www.onegarden.org/beans... Apparently Banner is more prized as a cover crop than as an edible.

Romanos are common beans ( P. vulgaris). The bush version Roma is readily available as canned beans in our supermarkets and called simply Italian style beans. The bush varieties are not as tasty as the pole varieties tho. I have not seen them in the frozen foods section.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'm in So. Cal., and I'm not sure we are part of N. America when it comes to common names.

@ctcarol I purchased seed for Italian Bush Beans "Roma Improved" from Renee's Garden. Have not grown these before, so am looking forward to it. Won't direct sow into garden for a few weeks yet, but am sprouting a few inside just to see how it goes

Hope you find what you are looking for! AND about common names

I have no problem finding seeds...finding space to grow them is the problem. I have to resort to Earth Box for them, and I don't get enough to freeze my own.

I grew them in my Vegie plot using Azolla as a fertiliser. See
The thread "Azolla - growing and using" in Ponds and Water Gardening forum

They did very well. ate off the plants for around five weeks.

Over the past week or so have been collecting seed for next years crop. Had marked the plants which tillered early and frequently. The reasoning being the more tillers, the more flowers and hopefully Beans.

Noticed there were some of the marked plants, had started to produce new shoots with two of them having a flower each despite the new shoots being very small.

Intend to dig up those plants once the seed has been collected and relocate them to an area where they won't be in the way of other vegies I want to grow.

Has anyone done something similar, have success in the transplantation?

Cheers