Groundnut
Apios americana
(A-pee-os) (am-er-ih-KAH-nuh)

I didn’t know much about this perennial vine until after I took this picture. It often arrives in my gardens from transplanted nursery stock. Usually I only let one or two continue to grow and have been enjoying the beauty of its flower. The flowers are also fragrant. My Groundnut has been climbing on a Variegated Box Elder (Acer negundo 'Variegatum') and it hasn’t taken over. I noticed a little patch growing around my Heather Bun Cedars (Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Heather Bun') also. It is considered invasive and I probably wouldn’t plant it but it is a nice flowering vine for later in the season. It seems to grow very well in moist soil.

This plant has a long history. It was one of the most important per-European food sources on the North American continent. Both the tubers and beans are edible and are supposed to be very tasty. Maybe I will have to try some, as it is high in protein and starch. This plant is also known as Hog Peanut or Potato Bean.