Homesteading: Gifts from West Virginia

Apios americana- an American jewel

This week, Jill and I received a gift via the postal service from a Substack subscriber named Paul in West Virginia.

In the box were several vegetable starts and tubers. There were two types of tubers, both indigenous to the Americas: Apios americana and the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also called sunroot, sunchoke, wild sunflower, topinambur, or earth apple. This species of sunflower is native to central North America and has been used by Native Americans and colonists alike.

The other tuber, Apios americana is the one that I found fascinating. Apios americana, otherwise known as the American Groundnut, has a rich history as an essential food for both Native Americans and early Americans. A plant that is both edible and ornamental.

As this is our first experience planting Apios (thank you Paul), so the information gleaned is from a letter he sent to me as well as time spent researching on the web.

Apios americana

“Indian potatoes" are another name for this magical plant! Apios is also called America-Hodoimo, American Groundnut, Cinnamon Vine, Common Groundnut, Groundnut, Hodoimo, Hopniss, Indian Potato, Bog potato, or the Potato Bean. The many different names are likely due to its absence from big nurseries’ commercial offerings - so regional names for this plant seem to abound.

The selection for cultivars with higher yield and larger tubers for the commercial market did not start until the late twentieth century. Dr. Bill Blackmon conducted This research at Louisiana State University (LSU). But due to a loss of funding, that program ended in the 1990s. However, the LSU project yielded cultivars with improved characteristics- texture, taste, size, and productivity. Paul got his cultivar directly from Dr. Blackmon at LSU, and he has been growing it for 20+ years paul kindly sent me a generous number of tubers to plant.

The Apios, or Hopniss, is a native perennial vine in the legume (pea) family, and is found in tidal and non-tidal marshes, wet thickets, stream banks, and bottomland forests. It has edible fruits and large edible tubers. Although the fruit and seeds are edible, the tuber is the most desirable. In Japan, a related plant is cultivated. The vine can grow 8-16 feet long.

The groundnut is a remarkable plant, showcasing a unique blend of characteristics rarely found in just one species! For thousands of years, various indigenous tribes in North America have relied on its tubers as a staple food source.

When the American naturalist, essayist, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, discovered some wild specimens, he wrote:

History

When European explorers reached the New World, they noticed American Indians eating seeds and tubers of the Apios plant. They were soon taught the basics of how to harvest and prepare Apios. Early American history teaches that the first colonists would not have survived the first winters without this incredible plant being available.

Ethnohistoric records suggest this species was more commonly referenced for its dietary significance among eastern North American Indians than any other tuber. While it was widely used, most Indians harvested apios from the wild; only some tribes transported them to their campsites, and apios was likely never cultivated (Beardsley 1939). It is probable that North American Indians employed localized slash-and-burn agriculture to manage forested areas for easier foraging and hunting and then replanted tubers or seeds after burning.

The practice forms some of the principles behind Permaculture, which are loosely based on the practices of Native Americans, reflecting a land management and settlement design approach that mirrors arrangements found in thriving natural ecosystems. We use permaculture on our farm for our forested areas, which is about fifteen acres of woods - so we try to cultivate native edible species and native ornamentals there.

We planted the tubers we received yesterday in a dappled sun and shady area where the soil is naturally damp. As suggested - in a “bottomland” forest on the edge of our quarry pond - in an area recently cleared out by a micro-tornado that came through the farm. Below is my newly planted Apios bed.

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As a food source

The roots contain 17% protein- over three times the amount found in a regular potato and are high in calcium and a long list of vitamins and minerals. The tubers look like small, russet potatoes and have a sweet taste.

The size of its tubers can vary, with some younger ones being as small as a peanut, while, on rare occasions, they can grow large enough to rival an apple or even a melon! Their starch content is low - an added benefit. The tubers can be boiled or roasted, and the woody skins are generally removed with a potato peeler before cooking.

How to plant

The fastest way to establish a healthy population is to plant tubers instead of seeds. In early spring, plant the tubers two to three inches deep where they can remain undisturbed, as they are perennials. Applying mulch is beneficial to prevent competition from weeds and grass. While not essential, if cultivated in a more traditional garden setting, it’s helpful to support the plants to climb on, or they will spread out and tend to look weedy.

Harvesting can commence after the first year, but waiting until the plants are two years old is advisable. Apios thrive in full sun to partial shade and require moist conditions, preferably in sandy or gravelly loams enriched with organic matter. In cooler or foggy regions, Apios needs full sun, whereas in hotter southern areas, partial shade is acceptable.

Groundnuts pair wonderfully with other dense herbaceous plants or shrubs like violets, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.

The plump tubers enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation, a natural process involving chemical and microbial reactions. Thanks to the extra nitrogen they add to the soil, surrounding plants get a nice nutrient boost, enhancing their growth and, if they produce fruit, increasing their yields!

All in all, the groundnut is one of the few native plants that impress even the most discerning gardeners and plant enthusiasts! This resilient perennial vine loves full sun and thrives in moist, acidic soil. Under ideal conditions, it can spread beautifully, forming an extensive ground cover, or it can climb a trellis or similar structure, creating a lush wall of foliage.

In a smaller garden, Apios could be trellised as an ornamental, and I could see it growing well along a wooden fence. But remember that it is considered an aggressive grower and will out-compete a vegetable garden or delicate ornamental bed, so plant wisely!

The groundnut’s unusual flowers make it an intriguing sight in any garden, boasting a one-of-a-kind shape, color, and scent. As Thoreau vividly described, “The crumpled red velvety blossoms” form tall, upright clusters, often with a dozen or more flowers gracefully raised above the foliage. These maroon-brown flowers bloom from June to September, filling the air with a delightful fragrance reminiscent of violets but much richer and longer-lasting (unlike the violet’s fleeting scent, which briefly dulls smell receptors). A horticulturist from the early 20th century wisely said that the groundnut “pays its tithe in fragrance and brings into uniformity much that would be otherwise unsightly, straggling growth.”

Its dark red or chocolate-colored blossoms are not just visually stunning; they also have one of the sweetest fragrances among American native wildflowers.

Foraging

The range of Apios throughout North America.

Where to get tubers or seeds

Those cultivars from LSU are still available at various nurseries - but they are hard to find.

Interwoven

Peaceful Heritage (wait list)

Sow True Seed (currently sold out)

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For those interested, below is audio interview with Dr. Bill Blackmon about the Apios breeding program. Dr. Blackmon was in his 90s when this interview took place.

A doctor can bury his mistakes but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.

– Frank Lloyd Wright

*Photos shown of Apios are for educational purposes. The images were found on social media, so my thanks to to the photographers - whom remain unknown.