Hoping to start a series of these post, But by no means do I want to be the sole poster.
This time on Ok!!, So now what? Apios americana, aka, American Groundnut, Indian potato or hopniss because groundnut is also used for the humble peanut and African groundnut which grow in similar fasion.
Apios americana is a Fabaceae part of the pea family and is nitrogen fixing. Grows quite well in much piles as decaying wood mater is nitrogen robbing.
Well after 6 or 7 years in the ground and them pulling my apple and pear trees down to the grown and breaking branches I finaly decided now was a good time to harvest. The root system was extensive but easy as they like to say in the mulch between trees. Where they did go outside the mulch or down below the mulch line Im sure they will be growing back. Impossible to get them all.
nice haul Caroll! i dug some of mine to share with a member on here. they are still quite small yet. maybe dig and eat some this fall. i also plan to spread them where the vines can climb my red pines.
Several years ago I got a couple of different varieties from Oikos tree crops. Theyāve grow very large tubers in one season, often tennis ball size and rarely grapefruit sized. I still havenāt figured out how to cook them so I like them. They have a VERY strong ābeanā flavor, so probably what I need to do is just mash them up and serve them like re-fried beans, which is my plan for next year. They also produce viable seed, so Iāve got a few new seedlings this year which I have no idea what to do with. If anyoneās interested PM me. They are free to pick up in the West Georgia/Atlanta area.
For prep I recommend simply washing and then boiling them whole. Do not cut them into individual pieces first.
After boiling the skin will peel off easily and the attached strings between the tubers can be pulled out along with some of the fibers that extend from the strings into the tubers.
Next, eat as is or process further into fancier dishes.
Just last week we harvested our LSU groundnuts - WOW. They had been in the ground for going on 3 years. We got an amazing 23 pounds of tubers from a tiny 8 ft long row, and left at least 1 lb in the ground to regrow. They are delicious and very nourishing food, better food value than potatoes. I am planting a lot more of these and also will be selling small plants in our nursery. If interested in buying tubers of LSU groundnut, PM me.
Which particular varieties do each of you have? I was fortunate enough to obtain Nutty #3 before Oikos closed shop. I almost lost it once or twice (Iām just coming off a neglectful period right now), and I managed to save some small pieces that have just sprouted now. I found a mummified tuber that didnāt survive my non-wateringā¦ about as big as a baseball! Thatās one yearās growth.
So far, it doesnāt like to be abandoned in dry soil. It seems tolerant of clay (but I refuse to stick it in the ground just yet, in case I lose it for good). Otherwise, it seems to really like the local Puerto Rico climate. Doesnāt mind heat or sun, and grows very well on nothing but a tomato cage.
I think they should be slow-cookedā¦ I seem to remember an article that warned of some strong reactions that a few people had, which may be preventable with long cooking times. If I find it again, Iāll post it.
Yep, some kinda fuse blew up and left the island unlit. My hometown started getting light back today, all thatās left is my street for some reason (Iām out and about right now, so if itās back, I havenāt found out).
Iām glad to be back. Usually my times offline mirror my neglect of the yard. Loads of ups and downs, mental health is no joke; though thankfully, neglecting my yard is as bad as it gets for me. Right now, Iāve been working the yard, so Iām happy.
Relevant Quote:
āI have to tell you, since Iāve been feeding people hopniss all these years, Iāve found out some of them will get violently ill after eating it.ā It had never happened the first time someone tried it, he said, but it could happen the second time or even after many years of eating it. āMaybe you need to build up a certain dose of the protein. Maybe thereās more of this allergen in larger tubers. Or it might have to do with the growing conditions.ā He estimated that as many as 5 percent of Apios americana eaters would be made sick at some point and, once they reacted, would become ill with every subsequent bite. āThatās the only thorn on this rose. Otherwise, it would be a perfect food.ā
Ground nuts are legumes. Legumes do have a track record of causing allergic reactions for a small part of the population. Peanuts, and soy being good examples.
I am in Bisbee AZ, about a mile high in southern Arizona near the Mexican border. I am growing all sorts of test plants this yearā¦ Sunchokes, Oca, Amaranth, Quinoa, Popcorn, African Potato Mint, Dhalia for tubers, Watermelon and spaghetti squash are the only normal onesā¦ I am even sprouting my first Rambutan and a few other oddities, and some very unique tomatoesā¦
For this thread I am beside myself for the growth of my Apios Americana, it was a group of nine modest tubers from Maine, they sprouted easy enough and have grown along 3 foot metal staves, but the leaves have quickly turned sickly and speckled and brown, some wilting, it is still producing new healthy leaves but I canāt tell if its watering or the heatwave weāve been going through. I just want it to make it through the summer and learn how to better treat the plant, advice or perhaps hardier tubers would be great. Many thanks, Weston.
I dont know about heat and drought tolerant Apios. you might just want to pass on these in AZ. Now if its a desease thats killing them can you send me some of the sweet murder my way I need to eradicate them from under my fruit trees and move them to the forrest.
its likely too much sun or ph is off or both. im growing the Kennebec ones here in n. Maine. they are like weeds but i have them growing along the wood line in half day shade. they love slightly acidic soil and alot of moisture. both hard to come by in your region. id try to grow them under shade cloth and put a good 6in. of mulch on them to keep the soil cool. they will spread right under the mulch for easy harvest. i also got some University of Louisiana improved cultivars of them from JohannsGarden on here. they are just starting to sprout out. maybe you could ask her for some?
might take your heat better than Maine grown ones. good luck!
