Ohio Groundnut

Oh, take us back to the days of hunters and gatherers… But not really because that seemed like a hard life, and I think we can all agree that hanging out at the beer garden and drinking beer is a much more enjoyable way to live. 

The groundnut, however, provides a reminder of those days. While we have since rejected this plant from the early days of settlers on this land, Japan fell in love with this plant. Introduced in Japan from the Americas over 100 years ago, it is now commonly consumed. 

Also called wild bean, ground bean, and Indian potato, this plant makes small tubers underground that grow like a pearl necklace. While they rarely grow much larger than a typical nut, they are packed with nutrition. 

The groundnut grows as a vine, so will look gorgeous in your garden and is entirely edible. Plant your groundnuts in early spring. It thrives in full sun or part shade, and it loves moist soil. Don’t forget to give it something to climb on to, so that it can grow tall!