Amphicarpaea

A vigorous twiner with typically bean-like leaves and slender stems. The small flowers appear in late summer. The upper, pale lilac to white flowers bear pods containing inedible seeds, but the petal-less flowers near the ground yield relatively large, edible seeds just below ground level. These subterranean seeds, which can be produced quite abundantly, may be cooked and eaten like beans. These seeds have been used as food by the American Indians. As a landscape subject hog peanut has interesting potential, particularly as a ground cover. The foliage forms a dense cover, and the plant remains quite low when it has nothing on which to climb.