Spring Bean


 * For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see Spring Bean (PvZH).
 * For other usages of beans, see bean.

Spring Bean is the fourth plant obtained in Pirate Seas in Plants vs. Zombies 2. It bounces the first zombie that steps on it back one tile or, if close enough, into nearby water, instantly killing the zombie in question. After bouncing, it will fall asleep for 10.3 seconds during which it is vulnerable to attack.

Origins
Spring Bean is based on the unripe fruit of the Phaseolus vulgaris, or the common bean. Its name is a portmanteau of "string bean," a type of bean and "spring," referencing its spring-like appendage and its ability.

Plant Food effect
When fed Plant Food, Spring Bean will jump into the air then back onto the ground to unleash a great impact, bouncing every zombie on screen back one tile or in nearby water in Pirate Seas. It will also wake up if it was asleep.

Costumed
Its Plant Food ability can now stun zombies.

Strategies
Spring Bean is not an impressive plant by itself. In its homeworld, Spring Bean will find most of its utility at its ability to bounce enemies onto water, instantly killing them in the process. Because of this, Spring Bean can be used as an early defender against high health zombies, such as Buckethead Pirate and Gargantuar Pirate; or as a measure against Swashbuckler Zombies in lanes without planks. However, its inability to bounce multiple enemies back, as well as its sleeping time makes Spring Bean a poor choice in later levels - Imp Cannon in particular will create great challenges to Spring Bean, due to the amount of Imp Pirate Zombies it can create, making Primal Peashooters, Kiwibeasts, and Chard Guards more optimal choices to stop these zombies.

Spring Bean's Plant Food however can be used to quickly turn the tide of battle. In certain levels in Pirate Seas, it can be used to instantly kill all zombies except Imp Cannons and Seagull Zombies. Another notable strategy is to plant Blover or Hurrikale quickly after boosting Spring Bean. With the right timing (Blover or Hurrikale should ideally be planted right when Spring Bean is at its highest), all zombies will be blown away by Blover (or a column with Hurrikale), therefore this combo can be used to eliminate virtually any high-priority target from the field, especially Treasure Yetis, Gargantuars, or other dangerous zombies.

It is actually possible to get rid of an Gargantuar with only a Spring Bean and a Blover, without the help of Plant Food. This is because the small bounce actually counts as the zombie being in the air, giving you the ability to use a Blover and blow him away. However, the Blover must be planted before the Spring Bean bounces, but not after the zombie has landed again.

Spring Bean can be used to combat land Surfer Zombies, as they somehow destroy the surfboard, as well as staying alive in doing so. Spring Bean alone can also counter the All-Star Zombie. When the All-Star Zombie prepares to tackle the Spring Bean, the latter will push the zombie before the former does a successful tackle. This strategy shouldn't be used in higher levels of Highway to the Danger Room, due to sheer mass of zombies capable of activating the Spring Bean.

Avoid using Spring Bean against the Ankylosaurus, as the flung zombies will push it back first. It is not recommended to use it against Excavator Zombie, as they can shovel it up without stepping on it. The player should also be wary of Troglobites and Arcade Zombies as they can still crush the plant no matter if its in defensive position or not. Its main weakness is Gargantuar Prime, Wizard Zombie, Octo Zombie, Hair Metal Gargantuar as they can easily disable them from a safe distance, especially Gargantuar Prime and Hair Metal Gargantuar as even their laser or shockwaves can instantly destroy it (even if its ready to bounce).

Trivia

 * It cannot be attacked by Seagull Zombie, pulled by Fisherman Zombie or hit by Turquoise Skull Zombie's laser beam when it is ready to bounce.
 * In the Chinese version of Plants vs. Zombies 2, it will make the zombies roll over instead of bouncing them back. However, the it will only roll the zombies and kill them instantly if it is upgraded to level 2 or higher.
 * When it bounces back a zombie on the rightmost column and the adjacent row is a water lane, the zombie will land on the edge of the water lane while still being alive, but then walks into the water and drowns.
 * As of the 2.1 update, it can no longer be crushed by Gargantuars when attempting to bounce them.
 * If a Surfer Zombie tries to slam it with his surfboard, the surfboard will break but the Spring Bean will somehow survive.
 * It, Chard Guard and Kiwibeast can cancel all of Jester Zombie's projectiles when knocking Jester Zombie back.
 * In game, Spring Bean is frowning, but when it gets ready to bounce back a zombie, it is smiling.