Butterbeans vs. Lima Beans: What's the Difference?

Q: Friends debate: are butterbeans large with thick skins, or small and delicate?

A: Opinions split. Georgia Dept of Agriculture's Arty Schronce recalls large, mealy beans labeled 'lima beans' in school cafeterias. For him, butterbeans are small with delicate flavor—favorites: 'Dixie White' and 'Dixie Speckled' butterpeas. Officially, pole beans, lima beans, and butterbeans are the same species (Phaseolus vulgaris), differing only in plant form, pod size, and length.