Dec 21, 2025
This asymmetrical flower is Strophostyles helvola, sometimes called sandbean. Historically, Indigenous peoples of eastern and Midwestern North America sometimes cooked and ate sandbean just like common beans (the ones you can buy at the store these days). The plants are very similar, except sandbean often tolerates tougher habitat conditions, like dry, sandy soil. Sometimes people still grow sandbean for food - if your garden has sandy soil, keep an eye out for this one at native plant sales!
