Crop: Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Common bean)

Signe dates back to pre-1940. French or Kidney bean Signe is a semi-early cultivar with pink flowers and flat, straight, sturdy and short pods. Pod shape is characteristically drooping with a bent tip. Normally five seeds per pod.

Cultivation System: ND.

Geographical Information

Country: Sweden

It is traditionally cultivated in the area of Sörskog.


Farmer(s) description:

A single farmer used to grow Signe on few hectares. No additional information is currently available. Unfortunately, no information is available about crop acreage.


Propagation system: Seed, self-pollination

Multiplication procedures and consequences on landrace diversity:

The bean is maintained on-farm by the farmer. Being a predominantly self-pollinated crop, multiplication is straight-forward. No additional detail has been obtained from the farmer.

Management plan existence:

The landrace management relies completely on farming activities of the area.

Added Values

Market - existing and novel:

Regional and, possibly, national. Marketed under the trademark Green heritage®. In 2013, 600 kg of the bean was delivered to one retailer in Sweden with the understanding that it should be sold to consumers. Still, in 2019, the bean has regrettably not reached the market.

Others (e.g. commercial/geographical brands or special traits):

Chefs have indicated a pronounced interest in French or Kidney bean Signe due to its cooking and gastronomic qualities which have been demonstrated in comparative tests.

Signe was registered March the 4th 2011 on the Swedish official list of varieties as a conservation variety. Registration is effective until 31 December 2021.


No scientific or technical support is given to the maintainer.

Uncertain. To have access to the resource the farmer Nils Börje Nilsson should be contacted, Bräkne-Hoby, Sweden 

Link(s): https://www.slu.se/globalassets/ew/org/centrb/pom/signe.pdf (in Swedish)

Case study prepared by Swedish Board of Agriculture (SBA), Sweden. 

Most of updates have been communicated by Dr Jens Weibull (SBA).