Panther Edamame Soybean

The elusive black panther, a rarity in the wilds of Asia, has reportedly extended its territory to Upstate New York. Its existence was confirmed at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture by fearless farmer Jack Algiere. It was Jack, in fact, who kept this rare breed alive; it had disappeared from the wilds of the seed trade. He gifted a few precious specimens to us in 2010, and we've let it prowl around the Northeast for a while. Now it's your chance to give Panther a home in your own garden sanctuary.

These beans are bright green with a hint of purple when at the ripe green edamame stage, and then mature to deep black when dry. Any color in the fresh beans fades upon cooking. If you've never grown soybeans in your garden, it's worth a shot: in addition to fixing nitrogen and yielding tasty beans, the plants sport velvety green leaves that are very attractive.