"shellie" means that you let the bean fill the pod and then you harvest it and "shell" it, keep the beans, throw away the shell. That is opposed to "String" beans which is harvested young, and tender and the whole thing is eaten.
Some beans are suited as string/green beans. Some are good for selling, as you do with peas.

Yes, shelly beans are allowed to mature and generally the hulls will change color, often becoming yellow and rubbery. The seeds are viable but still soft. They are harvested at that point and used as a fresh vegetable or are blanched and frozen. Once they dry, they are dry beans and not shellies. This difference is similar to fresh sweet corn versus dry corn.

The only commercial shelly bean that I know of is frozen green Lima beans.

"Full beans" are shellies with tender pods that are eaten pod and all. Runner beans can be used as shellies. Greasy beans are used as full beans. - Dick

Here is a link that might be useful: Shelly bean thread

Dick, thank you so much. You certainly opened 'a can of beans' for me.Of course I had to read through the whole Shellies thread, and check out all the links, which have links, which have links! It's never-ending, but absolutely fascinating. And now i have to read Shellies 2, started by you!I had no idea there was so much to beans.Next project, after lunch, is to find out what greasy beans are! I will check the forum and google them, too.

I mentioned above that I had seen some massive runner bean beans when I was in Hokkaido, and wondered if they would be similar to the Insuk beans lots of people on the forum are talking about. I haven't had much time yet but I found something on Amazon.co.jp. These beans are 3 times the size of the runner bean seeds I know from England. One reviewer complained that he hadn't realised they were from China, and wouldn't have bought them if he had known (not much enthusiasm round here for food grown in China), but I rejoiced when i read that, as one thread said the Insuk beans were brought from China.) The Japanese name simply translates as Flower Bean . They are being sold for food, not for seed. I will start checking out some Japanese seed companies.

I am most grateful for your response. I am such an amateur, and the forum is full of experts!

seysonn, thank you very much. I'd only ever thought that people dried shelled beans and then cooked them. They must taste very different when eaten fresh. Here in Japan I am only aware of edamame being eaten like that, and I never saw fresh beans in England.

I often visit China, and see all sorts of beans there. In the markets they sell ready shelled edamame and also small broad beans (fava beans, I think you call them) -- podded and with their inner skin taken off. Next time I go, I will look more carefully.

Ashita

Ashita those look very much like Scarlet Runner or Scarlet Emperor runner beans.

I have attached a link to a thread on full beans. Greasy beans do not have the fine fuzz that other beans have and so they look almost like they have been dipped in oil. They are eaten as full beans.

Dick

Here is a link that might be useful: Full Beans

Yes, they do, but they are so much bigger. My family planted scarlet emperor every year, and these ones could be even 3 times as big!

Do you know what the Insuk beans look like?

Checking out your link now :-)

Ashita

Sorry, I have to stop rushing to post before I check stuff out. I see the Insuk beans come in various colours.

Dick, thanks for the Full Beans thread. So much to learn, and it's all fascinating!