Tuberous wisteria - Apios americana - Potato bean
Tuberous wisteria - Apios americana - Potato bean: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
American groundnut, Apios americana, is a perennial climber in the Fabaceae family, also known as potato bean. It is native to North America, where it occurs in moist habitats, including stream banks and woodland edges. The common name tuberous wisteria refers to its flowers and climbing habit, but it belongs to Apios, a different genus from the ornamental wisterias in Wisteria.Its herbaceous stems twine around supports and can extend over several metres. The leaves are compound: each usually carries five to seven smaller leaves, called leaflets, with oval shapes and pointed tips. This light outline differs from the large, simple leaves of some other climbers. Above-ground growth dies back in autumn in temperate climates, while underground organs allow the plant to persist.The flowers resemble those of other legumes, with petals arranged like a pea flower. They grow in small clusters and show reddish-brown to purple tones, sometimes paler on the…
