American potato bean
Apios americana
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun or partial sun or full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size10 to 15 feet tall2 to 5 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Reddish-purple to pinkish-brown
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
American potato bean (Apios americana) is a vine for borders, pollinator gardens, and naturalized areas. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Its reddish-purple flowers are fragrant and attract butterflies, bees, and birds. The plant tends to take over, so give it room to roam.
Pairs well with Swamp milkweed, Cardinal flower, and Big bluestem.
Native range
Central and eastern United States and eastern Canada.