Navy Bean

The navy bean is a variety of the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, native to and first domesticated in the Americas, also known as the haricot bean, Boston bean or pea bean. It is a small, dry white bean with an oval, slightly flattened shape, grown on either bush or vining plants depending on the cultivar, and is used in dishes such as baked beans, Senate bean soup and bean pies. Its name comes from its use as a staple food served to sailors by the United States Navy since the mid-1800s; during the Second World War, Australia began growing navy beans to supply American troops stationed in Queensland, a trade successful enough that Kingaroy became known as the Baked Bean Capital of Australia, and the beans were sometimes called the Yankee bean at the time.