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Peanuts – 24 May 2007

If you have read my Blog titled “Having Fun”
(http://www.all-creatures.org/heart/blog-20060228.html) you know that we like to experiment with seeds, pineapple tops, etc. to see what – if anything – will grow. Sometimes we are rewarded with an interesting houseplant.

Earlier this year, we saw bags of raw peanuts for sale. We like to eat unsalted roasted peanuts, but we had never seen raw peanuts; so, we bought a bag. Frank thought that since they were raw, it would be fun to plant some and see if anything would grow. I placed four raw peanuts in a small pot filled with potting soil, kept it moist, and here is a photo of the results. Having never seen a peanut plant before, a few days ago I was so happy to see a couple of small, yellow flowers appear on the green plant.

I did a little reading about peanuts and found out that they are also called “ground nuts” because they grow underground, as opposed to “tree nuts,” such as almonds and walnuts that grow on trees. Most of the peanuts grown in the United States are Virginias, Runners, and Spanish peanuts. Valencia peanuts are also grown, but less frequently.

Although peanuts are used the same way as nuts, they are actually legumes – edible seeds enclosed in pods – like beans and peas.
 

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