American Groundnut
ExplorePlants
American Groundnut
apios americana
The American Groundnut is a special plant that grows beautiful flowers and has tasty tubers underground. It can be found near water and is an important food source for many animals!
Habitat: Wetlands, riverbanks, and along the edges of forests
Appearance
The American Groundnut is a vigorous, slender vine with compound leaves, typically featuring 5-7 oval leaflets. It has unique, pea-like flowers that range from reddish-purple to brownish-maroon, clustered tightly in dense spikes. These distinctive flowers stand out against its green foliage.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderFabalesFamilyFabaceaeGenusApios
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Each vine can produce a chain of starchy tubers, sometimes weighing over a pound together!
Even famed explorers like Lewis and Clark noted the American Groundnut's importance as food.
Its tasty tubers were a vital food source for early Native Americans for thousands of years!
Some call it "potato bean" because it grows both underground tubers and edible bean-like pods.
Special abilities
Ability
Underground Super Storage
American Groundnut can grow edible tubers deep underground, storing energy to survive winter and sprout back next year.
Ability
Nitrogen Booster
It teams up with tiny soil microbes to pull nitrogen from the air, enriching the soil for itself and other plants.
Ability
Climbing Crusher
Its twining stems can climb high on other plants, reaching sunlight and spreading its leaves widely.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 30-300 cm
- Spread
- 50-200 cm
- Flower Size
- 1-2 cm
- Bloom Season
- Summer to fall
- Edible
- Yes
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Nectars on its distinctive purplish-brown flowers.
pollinates
Common Eastern Bumblebee
Bombus impatiens
Visits the flowers for nectar and pollen.
eats
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Browses on its foliage and young shoots.
eats
Northern Bobwhite
Colinus virginianus
Feeds on the seeds produced in its pods.
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
ApiosIndian PotatoWild Bean
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is American Groundnut?
30-300 cm
How wide does American Groundnut spread?
50-200 cm
How big are the flowers on American Groundnut?
1-2 cm
When does American Groundnut bloom?
Summer to fall
Is American Groundnut edible?
Yes
Is American Groundnut toxic?
None
What is American Groundnut's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is American Groundnut pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
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