American groundnut (Apios americana) is in the Legumes family (Fabaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 4,138 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Nationally it blooms mainly from August to August, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph American groundnut: observations by month (U.S.)
About American groundnut
Apios americana, sometimes called the potato bean, hopniss, Indian potato, hodoimo, America-hodoimo, American groundnut,or groundnut (but not to be confused with other plants sometimes known by the name groundnut) is a perennial vine that bears edible beans and large edible tubers. Its vine can grow to 1–6 m long, with pinnate leaves 8–15 cm long with 5–7 leaflets. The flowers are usually pink, purple, or red-brown, and are produced in dense racemes 7.5–13 cm in length. The fruit...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
American groundnut by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 340 | August | Aug–Aug |
| North Carolina | 300 | August | Aug–Aug |
| New York | 265 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Virginia | 250 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 243 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Massachusetts | 241 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Minnesota | 198 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Vermont | 186 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Maryland | 179 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Florida | 172 | May | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 156 | August | Aug–Aug |
| South Carolina | 139 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Maine | 125 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 113 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Illinois | 108 | August | Jul–Aug |
| New Jersey | 102 | August | Jul–Aug |
| New Hampshire | 97 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Alabama | 94 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Tennessee | 85 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Kentucky | 81 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Arkansas | 80 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Mississippi | 78 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Connecticut | 74 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 64 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Indiana | 60 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Texas | 56 | June | May–Jun |
| Missouri | 53 | August | Aug–Aug |
| District of Columbia | 35 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Louisiana | 30 | September | Aug–Sep |
| West Virginia | 30 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 29 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Iowa | 23 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Delaware | 14 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Kansas | 12 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Nebraska | 10 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Oklahoma | 10 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Legumes)
White Clover
Red Clover
Texas bluebonnet
Bird's-Foot Trefoil
Rose Clover
Tomcat Clover
American hog-peanut
Purple Crownvetch
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph American groundnut?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from August to August.
Where is American groundnut most often seen?
The most observations come from Georgia, North Carolina, New York.