Groundnut

Apios americana

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Fabaceae
Genus:
Apios
Species:
Apios americana

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb , Vine
Height:
12-20 ft
Light Requirements:
Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
jul, aug, sep
Bloom Colors:
Red, Pink, Purple
Food Forest:
Plant contains edible parts

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Bombus impatiens (Bombus impatiens), Bombus impatiens (Bombus impatiens), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), (Apis mellifera), (Apis mellifera)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
thrives in riverbanks and wet meadows

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Wild harvested tubers are planted whole, but are subdivided into 1-2 tubers segments by cutting the cordlike root attaching the tubers to each other. Tuber segments are then placed in nursery trade quart sized pots that have been filled three-fourths full with a commercial potting soil. Tuber segments are placed in the filled pots on top of the potting mix and then covered with additional potting soil. Filled pots are gently hand compacted to ensure good tuber soil contact. Properly filled pots should have at least one inch of potting soil covering the tubers.

Establishment: Tubers are typically collected from wild populations during late dormancy (February-March). Care should be taken to avoid overharvesting of tubers from wild populations.

Source: npn.rngr.net