American Groundnut - Apios americana

The Tuberous Wisteria, or Apios americana, is a climbing plant cultivated for its small elongated tubers. Its flowering in clusters of purple is very decorative. The tubers can be cooked like potatoes while being more nutritious. It is mainly used in permaculture and forest gardens. Plant it in spring, from March to May. From the 2nd or 3rd year, harvest as needed, all year round.

The Tuberous Wisteria is a Fabaceae family plant native to North America. Sometimes called 'potato bean', it is cultivated for its small tubers and beans, appearing only in warm regions. The Tuberous Wisteria produces rambling stems, several metres long, which can cling to supports or mix with other climbing plants. Its growth is slow in spring and then accelerates. From June to October, it offers clusters of purple flowers, which are very decorative and highly fragrant. This hardy plant disappears in winter and reappears at the end of spring.

The tubers of the Tuberous Wisteria are cooked in water and consumed like potatoes. They are rich in starch and especially in proteins. Their flavour is slightly sweet.

The Tuberous Wisteria is a legume which, like all plants of the Fabaceae family, has the particularity of enriching the soil with nitrogen. It is, therefore, exciting to plant it in the vegetable garden while taking care to harvest all its tubers as it spreads easily with its rootstock.

Harvesting: patience... you have to wait 2 to 3 years before harvesting the tubers. The harvest is then carried out throughout the year, as needed. It is relatively easy as the tubers of the Tuberous Wisteria are found on the surface. The Tuberous Wisteria is sometimes called 'beaded potato' because the small tubers are distributed along its trailing roots. In warm regions, you will have the chance to taste the fruits and pods containing the beans.

Storage: The tubers should be consumed quickly after harvest. However, they can be stored for a few weeks in a cool place.

The gardener's tip: Before winter frosts, especially if your winters are harsh, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible, mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also reduces weeding.