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Phaseolus vulgaris Snijboon peulen

Common Bean    

Navajo Name:

Classification: 12 species in Phaseolus and 18 accepted taxa overall

Species: 

• Common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.
• Tepary bean Phaseolus acutifolius
• Slimleaf Bean, Phaseolus angustissimus Gray
• Sieva Bean, Phaseolus lunatus L.

Ceremonies: Night Chant 

Ritual Use:

• used with Zea mays and other plants for Night Chant medicine (Elmore 1944:28)

Medicine: 

• At Zuni, slimleaf bean leaves, blossoms and root are crushed and powdered then rubbed on a child's body as a strengthener (Stevenson 1915:85)

Food: 

• Beans grown in small quantities, when possible, and eaten (Franciscan Fathers 1929: 204)
• Beans formed a large part of the vegetable diet (Steggerda and Eckardt 1941: 221)
• Large, white bean and small white lima bean cultivated for local use (Vestal 1952: 33)
• Beans boiled and used in stews (Steggerda 1941: 221; Steggerda and Eckardt 1941: 221 )
• Beans cultivated and stored for use during the winter (Steggerda and Eckardt 1941: 221)

Other Uses: 

• Beans cultivated as a commercial crop (Vestal 1952:33)
• Plants, after harvesting the beans, used as stock feed (Vestal 1952:33)

References: 

• Elmore 1944:28
• Franciscan Fathers 1929: 204
• Steggerda 1941: 221
• Vestal 1952:33