North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[William McNam <billmcnam@yahoo.com>]

 

 

"Richard Wagner"

 

 Hey Richard!

Yeah, Ken Asmus has three selections!

Thanks a lot!

 

 

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apios americana

Saturday, March 13, 2010 7:37 PM

From: "Richard Wagner" rewagner@centurytel.net

To: "North American Fruit Explorers" nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

 

Three varieties are available from www.oikostreecrops.com

 

  Groundnut Information — Apios americana

High Protein Perennial Tuber

 

“Digging one day for fishworms, I discovered the groundnut (Apios tuberosa) on its string, the potato of the aborigines, a sort of fabulous fruit, which had often since seen its crumpled red velvety blossom supported by the stems of
other plants without knowing it to be the same. Cultivation has well nigh exterminated it. It has a sweetish taste, much like that of a frostbitten potato, and I found it better boiled than roasted. The tuber seemed like a faint promise of Nature to rear her own children and feed them simply here at some future period. In these days of fatted cattle and waving grain - fields this humble root, which was once the totem of an Indian tribe is quite forgotten...” Walden by Henry David Thoreau

The groundnut is a perennial vine producing a nut like tuber found growing from Louisiana to Quebec. It is a nitrogen fixer in the pea family and is found growing in moist woods, streams, alongside ponds and marshes. Vines can grow from 10–25 ft. in a season depending on the conditions and the variety. The plants produce wisteria-like fragrant reddish pea blossoms that eventually form an edible bean. (Normally peas are produced in small numbers.) Groundnuts contain 16% protein over 3 times that of potatoes. Each plant can yield up to 5 lbs of “nuts”. The plant itself is easy to cultivate and yields generously in well–drained loam. Can be grown over the ground or trellised. You can leave the tubers in the ground for two years to get a larger yield or you can harvest every fall. Make sure to leave some in for next year’s crop. They will not freeze in the soil. Harvest is done in the fall after the vine is killed by frost. The tubers can be prepared like potatoes and have a sweet nutty flavor. For most, boiling seems to be the preferred method of cooking but some like them raw in salads. A growing season of 120 days is best.

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  Hudson Groundnut

Wild Selection Introduced by J.L. Hudson Seedsman
Small to medium-sized tubers from 2–4 inches in diameter. This is the more typical wild strain but is very productive producing lots of tubers per plant. Yields well in containers. Perfect for soup. Available again starting in the fall of 2010.
Hardiness -25°F.

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Click image to enlarge

Nutty Groundnut — Apios americana 'Nutty'

Largest Tuber Variety-Massive Potato Sized

Originally bred in Louisiana this selection is tops in tuber size. Nuts average 3 to 5 inches in diameter and have a very smooth light skin. Vines can grow up to 50 ft. or more in a single season so trellising would be of benefit. In our greenhouse vines in July were putting on 1 ft. of growth per day. Possibly a good commercial selection and will probably end up in your local supermarket someday soon. Completely hardy and productive in southern Michigan. Available again starting in the fall of 2010.

Hardiness -20 °F.

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4. ‘Densituberous’ Groundnut

This selection was sent to us from the UK many years ago where it had proved successful in the less than sunny conditions found there. ‘Densituberous’ is an unusual selection in that is produces masses of small ½ inch tubers close together in the string. It has also proved to be the easiest to propagate using single tubers almost always getting a new plant for each tuber. Nice mild flavor. Medium sized vine similar to the species around 8-12 ft. long.

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