Order Now · Ships Spring 2026
Apios americana (groundnut)
Apios americana (groundnut)
Native edible vine • Beautiful flowers • Tasty tubers
📦 Shipping is charged at real carrier rates.We don’t mark up shipping—costs reflect distance from our nursery and careful plant packing.
🌱 6-plant minimum per order — mix & match any varieties
📦 Ships in a 2⅜” square x 3¾” deep band pot — well-rooted & ready to plant
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Groundnut is a plant that often surprises people—in the best way. Above ground, it’s a fast-growing vine with soft, compound leaves and clusters of deep maroon to purple, pea-like flowers that look right at home climbing a trellis or fence. Below ground, it’s quietly forming edible tubers with a rich, nutty flavor.
This plant is native to the northeastern United States and has a long history as a traditional food. The tubers are about walnut-sized and can be cooked just like potatoes—boiled, roasted, mashed, or added to soups and stews. Once it’s established, groundnut comes back every year and can grow several feet in a single season.
It’s a hard-to-find plant and one of our best-selling edibles online, especially loved by permaculture growers, native plant gardeners, and anyone building a food-producing landscape.
WHY GARDENERS LOVE IT
- Rare, native edible perennial
- Beautiful climbing vine
- Edible underground tubers
- Nitrogen-fixing roots that enrich soil
- Pollinator-friendly flowers
- Returns year after year
HOW IT GROWS
- Plant type: Herbaceous perennial vine
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Well-drained, adaptable once established
- Water: Moderate
- Hardiness: Zones 5–9
- Growth habit: Twining vine
Give it something to climb—trellis, fence, or arbor.
SIZE & GROWTH
- Height: 4–8 ft. with support
- Width: ~2 ft.
- Bloom time: Summer
- Flower color: Maroon to purple
EDIBLE TUBERS
- Harvest in fall after plants are established
- Cook like potatoes: boil, roast, mash
- Mild, nutty flavor
- Great in soups and stews
BEST USES
- Edible landscapes
- Permaculture gardens
- Trellises and arbors
- Native plant gardens
- Food forests
PLANTING TIPS
- Plant near a support structure
- Water well the first season
- Mulch lightly
- Be patient the first year—it builds roots
CARE MADE EASY
- Let vines climb naturally
- Cut back dead growth in fall or spring
- Harvest tubers after plants mature
- Leave some tubers to regrow
ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS
- Native to North America
- Supports pollinators
- Fixes nitrogen in the soil
- Builds healthier garden systems
HOW TO KNOW IT’S RIGHT FOR
Choose Groundnut if you:
- Want perennial food crops
- Love native plants
- Build soil naturally
- Enjoy unusual edibles
POT SIZE: 2⅜” square x 3¾” deep band pot
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What to Expect With Your Plants
What size plants will I receive?
Most plants ship in 2 3/8” x 3 3/4” band pots—ideal for healthy root growth.
Top growth varies by variety and season, but every plant arrives well-rooted, actively growing, and ready to plant.
Grown naturally without artificial heat or lights, our plants are hardy, adaptable, and ready to thrive in real garden conditions.
When will my plants ship?
We schedule plant orders based on your area’s average last frost date and when each plant is truly ready to ship. You’ll receive an email with your estimated ship date once your order is scheduled.
Orders ship Monday–Wednesday via UPS or USPS (2–3 day service), so your plants arrive before the weekend and spend less time in transit. Shipping begins in spring—usually mid-April—when weather and plant health align, so your plants arrive strong, well-rooted, and ready to thrive.
Do you guarantee your plants?
We stand behind our plants and our packing process. While we can't control weather or how plants are cared for after arrival, we do guarantee that your plants will arrive healthy and in good condition. If there's an issue, just reach out and we're happy to help.
Have more questions?
We want you to feel good about your plant order. Find answers about shipping, sizing, care, and guarantees in our full FAQ.
The plants arrived on time. Well packaged, they looked very well. They are now in the ground for a few weeks and they are doing well. Thank you.
Bought for garden in Louisa VA. First time working with this plant. It's been in the ground for a month. Seems happy so far, the vine is climbing up nicely on the trellis.
The groundnut plants died almost immediately. The other plants that I bought are doing fine and one is already blooming. I had planted some groundnut tubers last fall and those are coming up really well, they grow about 6 inches a day, so I think it's a really nice native vine, maybe just doesn't like to be transplanted.
We are sorry to hear that your ground nuts do not currently appear to be thriving. The underground tubers are much stronger and more resilient than its aerial vines, especially at their young age. If the top growth is showing signs of stress or appears to be dying back do not give up on the plants. If you continue to provide the appropriate care (such as maintainting correct soil moisture) you should start to see new growth coming up from the tubers. If for some reason you do not see new growth after a few weeks of care then please let us know, as we stand behind the quality and vigor of our Apios americana plant. We agree that this native (to many areas in the US) perennial vine is a valuable addition to any garden; especially the perennial food garden.