Apios americana
American Groundnut

• A member of the pea family, this perennial vine does well in moist loamy sites with sun or some shade and produces unique purple flowers in the summer.

• Works best in a naturalized area, as twining vines tend to spread and appear weedy. 

• A staple food for many Indigenous Americans. Every part of the plant is edible, but the small tubers are the most desirable. They are eaten like potatoes: boiled, roasted or fried, and are high in protein. 

• Horticulturist’s Notes: Groundnuts are best dug up in the winter, while the plant is dormant, so make a note of where the vine was growing over the summer and come back to harvest the day you intend to eat the tubers.