I love this vine. It is a native and almost no one grows it. The nice thing about it is it blooms now when there aren't that many flowers blooming. If it gets too large you can always eat some of the tubers. Does anyone else grow this one? :) Marietta
Oh how gorgeous those flowers are.. I tried last year and the seedlings died off. I did not know about a tuber, probably threw it away not knowing there was something in there.
Oh that is so lovely! It looks very similar to something that grows around here, but the blooms look bigger in the pic. How long is one of those bloom clusters?
Very pretty! Another one to add to my list, lol
mg
*blushes* oops
This message was edited Aug 30, 2005 9:55 PM
Very pretty flowers. Never seen that one before.
:) Donna
does this seed???
oh wow what a pretty bloom. okay adding this too my list.
whats it proper name??
Marietta-
I've grown these for a few years, now. I think I just wanted it because I seem to want EVERY vine that exists, lol..., and because of the novelty of it. Story goes that the native Indians ate the tubers like we eat potatoes.
I even read an article about the potential "come-back" of the ground nut as a commercial food crop....
Does yours seed well? Mine has not produced any seeds for two years running, but has multiplied tubers/potatoes.
imzadi-apios americana is the botanical name
Mine never seeded this year. But they do multiply here where I live in zone 5. The flower clusters get to be about 6 to 8" long. I found mine growing in the local forest. I removed only the first tuber that I reached when I dug down. It produced this vine this year. When I went back last week, the original vine has just gotten larger and has much more flowers than mine. Hope mine matures gracefully.
This message was edited Aug 31, 2005 12:46 AM
It is such a neat flower. I'm starting to be like you, Taylor.
;) Donna
Yes, I have grown this one. It's rampant in my area around the lake where we have our boat. I wasn't impressed with the small flowers, but grew the vine for the unique colors in the flowers. Mine didn't produce seeds either.
okay no seeds. all the pretties dont produce seeds except by having another plant not the same one(no inbreeding). okay off to find a tuber. hehe
thanks for the name its always easier to hunt for if you know its name.
This message was edited Aug 31, 2005 9:44 AM
Marietta-
Even on a good day, my flowers are never 6-8 inch clusters. From what Jo says, sounds like hers and mine are the same size...small!
At first I thought it was a zone difference, but you two are in the same zone.
I'd actually like to know a little more about the conditions(soil, light, etc.) that your/the mother plant is in, so I can try to give mine more of those same conditions. I'd love it if the blooms were bigger, like yours.
Sounds like that mother plant is VERY happy where she is!
I have noticed they do better as they get older, so maybe age is a real big factor, too...
Donna-yes, I'm considering starting a "vine addiction management and recovery group", lol...
(not really)
-T
seedpicker_TX
ill be in line for that one. need vine recovery bad. hehe
i edited my post above to say they do produce seeds but need another plant to do it .
Taylor you definitely should! I need all the help I can get....lol!
:) Donna
I got seeds for that a couple of years ago but didn't know what a "ground nut" was and was afraid it was nut sedge, lol. I wonder if the seeds will still come up?
It's certainly worth a try! And, this is the perfect time to plant them, since this is the normal time for them to set pods...
Good luck with them!
-T
I'll go dig them out of the seedbox and plant them! I'll let you know how they do.
I found this vine growing in an area where it hasn't been disturbed for a long time. The vine seems to go down to China. The roots are growing in the shade of a shrub, in rich, black soil and the root finally goes under a very large rock. I've seen this vine growing at Scott Arboretum and the flowers were also about 5 to 6" long. Let me check, I wasn't looking for seeds. When I found it growing I brought home some foliage and a flower to ID it and then went back to get a tuber. This year I'm going to try and root a stem. Most perennials will root this was and it is easier to grow on to a mature plant.
So, is it growing like a clematis? (roots in the shade and climbing to the sun?)
-T
Yep! :) Marietta
Gotcha! Thanks!
I think my roots are in too much sun...
Kinda like "baked potatoes", lol...
-T
I went back today to where I originally found the vine and I don't think that growing in full sun would hurt the roots. I had to dig down almost 9" along the stem before I came to the first tuber then the stem just kept going down. There are now three plants in the area and none of them had developed seeds. The flowers really are about 5" long.
Maybe the tubers are trying to get to China...lol. Did you bring any back for trades??
;) Donna
Donna-
they make a chain of potoatoes underground...remind me and I'll send you one, Ok?
-T
Oh, goodie!!!!
:) Donna
Oh!! not another vine to get addicted to..mmm .pretty flowers..
Seedpicker, can I get a tuber from you?? Them Sour Gherkins are making fruit so soon I will have some for you...
Nadine
Sure Nadine-
I think I'll have enough. I think I have about four taters, so that should still leave me with two...
;0)
-T
Cool! Thanks...Nadine
