A vine with tuberous roots that hails from the mountains of Central America, with its earliest cultivation traced back to the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala around 2000 BC​​. This species is characterized by its utility both as a food plant and an ornamental. Notably, all beans, including runner beans, contain the toxic protein phytohaemagglutinin, necessitating thorough cooking before consumption​​. The seeds are consumed both fresh and dried, and the flowers are also edible. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia