Baciccia Beans

The Baciccia bean is remarkable because it resembles and tastes like a Roma bean but unlike its pole loving relatives, Baciccia grows on a bush. This 1-1.5 foot plant has white flowers. Baciccia beans were brought to the U.S. by immigrants from Genoa in the Ligurian region of Italy. These beans were a favorite among the Genoese who settled in Northern California, many of whom became vegetable farmers. Saint John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista in Italian, but in Genoese dialect, San Giovanni Baciccia) is the patron saint of Genoa and the Genoese in the U.S. affectionately referred to each other as Baciccia.

The seed was given to The Italian Garden Project by one of the last of its growers, a descendent of a Genoese farming family in Richmond, CA. The Baciccia bean highlights the importance of seeking out and preserving Italian American heirloom seeds. In 2021, it was discovered that Baciccia beans could no longer be found in Liguria and had to be reintroduced to the region from seed still grown in Stockton, CA.

This seed is part of the Italian Garden Project’s Italian American Collection. Read about our shared work HERE. Shop for more varieties in this special collection HERE.

This collection represents seeds from the most cherished vegetables of Italian immigrants, those flavors that just couldn't be left behind. Only the best of the best would have been deemed worthy of the passage from the Old World to the New. These are seeds which have been passed down through families for generations, saved from the most vigorous specimens hand-selected each season. When they arrived in America, they were lovingly propagated in backyard gardens and traded as valuable commodities within Italian communities.

Heirloom seeds such as these which have been nurtured over hundreds of years and traveled across continents are at risk of being lost and their histories forgotten. In order to safeguard these treasures, The Italian Garden Project has been seeking out these heirlooms from across the US and serving as their caretaker. And now our partnership with Truelove Seeds and their growers ensures that these unique varieties will continue to flourish and provide the authentic flavors of the past well into the future.

Days to maturity: 90

Seeds per pack: 30

Germination rate: 99% on 12/21/2023

Planting / harvesting notes

Plant in a fully sunny location at least a couple weeks after the last danger of frost has passed. Sow directly in the ground at a depth of one inch, spaced every few inches in rows 12 inches apart. Thin to one plant every six inches.

Seed keeping notes

Beans are self-pollinating, though it is best to isolate different varieties of P. vulgaris by at least 25 feet (we do 75 feet to be sure) to avoid unwanted cross-pollination from flying insects. For seed saving, harvest the beans when their shells have become dried and crispy on the plants. Lay out the pods in a dry, sunny place to dry down further. Shell the beans and lay out the seeds in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight for at least another few days to a week before storing for next year.

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