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Amphicarpaea pitcheri - Torr.&A.Gray.                
                 
Common Name Hog Peanut
Family Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Synonyms A. bracteata comosa. (L.)Fern. Falcata pitcheri. (Torr.&Gray.)Kuntze.
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Rich, often calcareous or alluvial soils[43]. Moist thickets[235].
Range N. America - N. Dakota and south to Texas.
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Moist Soil Full shade Semi-shade

Summary       

Physical Characteristics       
 icon of manicon of flower
Amphicarpaea pitcheri is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft). The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)It can fix Nitrogen.


Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.
Amphicarpaea pitcheri Hog Peanut


Amphicarpaea pitcheri Hog Peanut
   
Habitats       
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade; Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses                                         
Edible Parts: Root;  Seed.
Edible Uses:

Seed - raw or cooked[105, 161, 177, 213]. Two types of seed are produced - flowers produced near the ground produce a pod that buries itself just below soil level. These pods contain a single seed are up to 15mm in diameter which can be used as a peanut substitute. They can be harvested throughout the winter and can be eaten raw or cooked. They taste like peanuts[177]. Yields are rather low, and it can be a fiddle finding the seeds, but they do make a very pleasant and nutritious snack[K]. Other flowers higher up the plant produce seed pods that do not bury themselves. The seeds in these pods are much smaller and are usually cooked before being eaten[95, 183]. They can be used in all the same ways as lentils and contain up to 25% protein[213, K]. The overall crop of these seeds is rather low and they are also fiddly to harvest[K].
Composition                                         
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
Seed (Fresh weight)
  • 0 Calories per 100g
  • Water : 0%
  • Protein: 25g; Fat: 0g; Carbohydrate: 0g; Fibre: 0g; Ash: 0g;
  • Minerals - Calcium: 0mg; Phosphorus: 0mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
  • Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
  • Reference: [ ]
  • Notes:
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.



None known
Other Uses
None known
Cultivation details                                         
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. This species is closely related to A. bracteata and perhaps no more than a form of that species[235]. It produces a less abundant crop of subterranean seeds than that species[235]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Requires a moist humus-rich soil in a shady position[200]. There are two types of blossom, those produced from the leaf axils mostly abort but a few seeds are produced[95]. Solitary, inconspicuous flowers are produced on thread-like stems near the root and, after flowering, the developing seedpods bury themselves into the soil in a manner similar to peanuts[95]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in a semi-shaded position in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within a few weeks. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter, planting them out in late spring or early summer. Division. We have been unable to divide this plant because it only makes a small taproot. However, many of the seeds are produced under the ground and these can be harvested like tubers and potted up to make more plants.
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
Torr.&A.Gray.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
43
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

  [K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[43]Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany.
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
[95]Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[161]Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[213]Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food.
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[235]Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.

Readers comment                                         
 
Elizabeth H.
Keith Johnson Thu Oct 22 2009
I think you need to rethink your zonation plotting. According to the USDA zone maps there are only zones 1-11. See http://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm for a view of the zone changes since 1990 to the present (in the US)

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