Apios americana (Groundnut)
$12.00
Out of stock
Size: Up to 15’ (vine)
Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil: Well-Drained, Moist-Medium
Bloom Time: Summer
Deer Resistance: 2/5
Ecotype: Unknown
The American Groundnut is a perennial vine, dying back completely in the fall and reemerging in the spring. This makes it an easier to manage vine. While not commonly cultivated, the seedpods and roots are both edible-- the seedpods can be eaten similarly to green beans, and the tuberous roots are starchy and potato-like. It prefers moist, well-drained sites in full to part sun, but it will do well in average garden conditions as well.
The Groundnut is also a food source for birds and mammals who enjoy the seeds and seedpods. The flowers attract pollinators, and several butterflies use it as a larval host plant, including the Silver-Spotted Skipper and Southern Cloudywing.