American groundnut

Plant family

Legumes (Fabaceae)

Also known as

Potato Bean, Hopniss, Indian Potato, Hodoimo, America-Hodoimo, Cinnamon Vine

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Plant distance

80 cm

Row spacing

80 cm

Seeding depth

5 cm

Instructions

Description

The earth pear, also known as Indian pear, cinnamon wine or apios, belongs to the butterfly family (Fabaceae). It grows up to 3 m, sometimes even up to 6 m high and resembles runner beans in growth. The reddish flowers are spicy-scented between July and September. The typically shaped butterfly flowers sit together in clusters and show up in pale red, reddish brown, pink or burgundy coloration. The i seeds grow in long, thin pods. Perennial and hardy, it dies above ground in late fall and overwinters in the form of fleshy rhizome tubers, which are the actual earth pears. They grow up to 20 cm in size. The flavor is reminiscent of hazelnut, sweet chestnut and roasted sweet potato. Jerusalem artichokes are also sometimes called earth pears, but they are not related to them. Their climbing growth makes them good for planting along trellises or fences, and they are very hardy to disease and pests. (From plantura.garden).

Growing tips

Do not harvest the tubers in the 1st year. The rhizome tubers can also be planted in the soil in the fall. Earth pears must be cold-treated before germination. Can also be grown in pots, but must then be kept frost-free in winter. Pruned back slightly in spring. The plant supplies itself with nitrogen, but other minerals can certainly help it to grow if the flower set is small. Never harvest all the tubers so that the plant can sprout again in spring. They can be stored for a few weeks and are used in the same way as potatoes. A climbing support is useful.