Plant Details

Amphicarpaea bracteata

Hog Peanut, American hogpeanut

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Amphicarpaea bracteata.

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Common names

18 names · 12 languages
EnglishYour language
  • American hog-peanut[1]
  • American hogpeanut
  • Ground bean[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (11)
Dutch
  • Bospinda
French
  • amphicarpe bractéolée[1]
  • Arachide du cochon
Cherokee
  • ᏚᏯ ᎢᎾᎨᎢ[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Finnish
Ojibwe
  • Bagwaji-miskodiisimin[1]
Russian
  • Амфикарпеа прицветниковая[1]
  • Амфикарпея прицветниковая[1]
Slovak
  • sójovka listenatá[1]
Swedish
  • underböna[1]
Ukrainian
  • Амфікарпея приквіткова[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Amphicarpaea bracteata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • American hog-peanut — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • Ground bean — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • Hog peanut — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • sianpapu — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • Амфикарпеа прицветниковая — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • Bagwaji-miskodiisimin — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • 阴阳豆 — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • 陰陽豆 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • amphicarpe bractéolée — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • underböna — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • ᏚᏯ ᎢᎾᎨᎢ — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • sójovka listenatá — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • Амфикарпея прицветниковая — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • mouse bean — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.
  • Амфікарпея приквіткова — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 85485; Amphicarpaea bracteata.

General information

Scientific name: Amphicarpaea bracteata
Accepted name (Kew): Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fernald View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fabaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Amphicarpaea (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Hog Peanut, American hogpeanut
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.50 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-9
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Shade, Partial shade

Uses

Edible parts:
Root, Seed
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Carbon farming

Description

Seeds - raw or cooked. Two types of seeds are produced - flowers close to the ground produce pods that lie just below soil level. These pods contain individual seeds up to 15 mm in diameter that can be eaten as an alternative to peanuts. They can be harvested throughout the winter and eaten both raw and cooked. The taste is sweet and delicious, similar to peeled broad beans rather than peanuts. The yield is relatively low, and it can be a challenge to find the seeds, but they make a pleasant and nutritious snack. Other flowers higher up on the plant have seeds in pods that are not underground. These seeds are smaller and are usually cooked before being eaten. They can be used in the same way as lentils and are a good source of protein. The overall yield of these seeds is also low, and they are difficult to harvest. Root - cooked. The root is peeled, boiled, and then eaten. It is meaty and nutritious, according to some reports, while others say that the root is too small to offer much nutritional value. Our plants only produce small and fibrous roots.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 715814; name ID 2634646; Amphicarpaea Elliott ex Nutt.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1303185; name ID 2634649; Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fernald.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Amphicarpaea bracteata

    Taxonomic data from WCVP-Fabaceae, version 2026, v.7, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. This shares the Kew WCVP evidence base cited on this page.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1950902, ID 66F45: Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fernald (accepted).

    Source checked on .