When we quickly left our village home eleven years ago, any number of issues had to be dealt with. Finding a new home for our plants was among our problems. What to do with the groundnut, Apios americana was a puzzle. It's rampant growth all over our old garden meant that it could not be planted in the new garden. A treasured garden friend had given us the plant so we had to keep it. I scratched a planting hole along the fence line far from the garden. A few tubers were planted and forgotten in the bustle of the move.
For several springs I looked in vain for a sign of the groundnut. Finding nothing they were given up for lost. Today, in search of blackberries, I spotted brownish maroon blossoms mixed in with berries and goldenrod. Not only had the groundnut survived, it was climbing and killing berry canes. Flowers were visible far into the neighbor's land.
Plans are developing to move the groundnut to a brush pile near the pond. Wild growth should result if generous moisture is available. Perhaps the deer will eat some groundnut keeping it in check. Groundnut fragrance is sweetly overpowering but outside I like it. We have eaten the tubers but have no recollection of taste nor the trouble to prepare. For today, we have found a lost plant and fondly remembered an old friend.
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