Bloomipedia
American hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)
Photo: Erin Lalime via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

American hog-peanut

Amphicarpaea bracteata

American hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata) is a vine in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–September across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

American hog-peanut is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in August–September.

39states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
22,550U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania

Quick look

Amphicarpaea bracteata is an annual to perennial vine in the legume family, native to woodland, thickets, and moist slopes in eastern North America. A. bracteata can be found in eastern North America, as well as further west into the Midwestern region, including Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

  • It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 39 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maryland and Connecticut. NatureServe
  • In Pennsylvania, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. iNaturalist
  • In Minnesota, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,062 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #104 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,506 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #92 among the 152 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,131 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #102 among the 189 flowers on our Maryland list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (5,056 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
PennsylvaniaNativeAugust–September2,062
MinnesotaNativeAugust1,506
MarylandNativeAugust–September1,131
ConnecticutNativeAugust–September641

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 4 states.
See each state
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: S5, secure in Pennsylvania. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. CT E/T/SC list
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: WY (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records American hog-peanut in 39 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York.

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Cass, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, McLeod, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Winona, Wright.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1236 counties across 37 states; the most are in Missouri (98), Virginia (87), Illinois (84).

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

More Pennsylvania flowers

Purple crownvetch (Securigera varia)

Purple crownvetch

Securigera varia

★ PA state beautification and conservation plantIntroduced

🌼 Blooms in PA: June–September
White clover (Trifolium repens)

White clover

Trifolium repens

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in PA: May–September
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

Red clover

Trifolium pratense

★ VT state flowerIntroduced

🌼 Blooms in PA: May–September

Sources