wild potato

American  

noun

1. a plant, Solanum jamesii, of the southwestern U.S., related to the edible cultivated potato.

2. man-of-the-earth.

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Etymology

Origin of wild potato

An Americanism dating back to 1765–75

Example Sentences

It is a small but hardy and nutritious wild potato that still grows across southwestern North America today, ranging from southern Utah and Colorado into northern Mexico.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2026

These conversations confirmed that the wild potato remains known, eaten, and used for spiritual purposes.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2026

By moving and using this wild potato, they may have begun the earliest stages of domestication while also building a distinctive cultural tradition in the Four Corners region.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2026

While the wild potato originated in the region along the intersection of Peru and Bolivia, new wild varieties continue to be found in the southwestern section of the United States.

From Washington Times • Apr. 22, 2017

Taking a cue from Kari’s book, McCandless started to dig and eat wild potato roots on June 24, apparently without ill effect.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer