I'm in zone 5. I LOVE my scarlet runner beans. They are striking to look at, I can tuck them in wherever I have support for them to climb,, and they draw the pollinators in. They have a long flat bean that is nutty and mild when young and raw. I stop eating them fresh once the beans get firm, as they are tough and bitter then. But the vines are constantly putting out new beans all summer. After the fall, you can harvest the dried beans and use them in cooking.