American Groundnut (Apios americana) Gardening
American Groundnut (Apios americana) is a species of perennial vine in the family Fabaceae, native to eastern North America. It is also known as Potato Bean, Hopniss, Indian Potato and groundnut (not to be confused with other plants which also known as groundnut). It gots its name from the bulb-like, pea- to lime-sized tubers that grow on its slender roots. American groundnut is one of the most important food plant for the Native American.
American groundnut is a deciduous, twining, clumbing vine bearing edible large tubers and beans. It grows to 3-4 m long, and produces dark green leaves that are pinnate, 8-15 cm long, with 5-9 leaflets. The red-brown to purple fragrant flowers are produced in dense racemes in early summer. Its fruit is a legume or pod, 6-12 cm long. American groundnut produces a string of edible high protein tubers that are crunchy and delicious, eaten either raw or cooked (by boiling or roasting). Once peeled, the flesh is white and firm. The flavor is mild and is often added to soups and stews.
American groundnut is an easy plant to grow, and prefers full sun to partial shade, well-drained light rich soils, and a trellies to grow on. Propagation is by replanting the tubers.
Flowers of American Groundnut (Apios americana)
Author: Mageejp (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
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