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Peanuts??

R

rt49andellis

Guest
Ok ... where do peanuts come from??? I know what I've heard as far as where they grow...and may I add EWW .... but whats the truth??
 
aren't peanuts rootcrops? I remember as a child when I was in the province we dig for nuts in the soil.
 
Penuts grow underground. You just pull up the plant and they are attched to the root
 
I THOUGHT they grew underground. Sorta like carrots right?

See.... I have this theory that my dad told us they grow in cow poop cuz he wanted them all to himself. *laughs* Or maybe he was talking about fertilizer???? Hmmmmmmm Gonna have to ask him about that one of these days.

Which reminds me -- I saw a spongebob episode once where he had them growing in a window... like a little peanut tree. (there's more to that episode but I wont share) I know cartoons aren't accurate for science...but it sorta threw me off.
 
*laughs* I know there's gotta be an "ex prez - cow manure" joke in there somewhere !
 
I thought peanuts grew on bushes and you picked the 'pods' (peanut shells)? They are related to peas and soybeans, both of which grow on low plants.
 
Peanuts grow underground... I remember someone bringing in a whole peanut plant for a Botany presentation in college. I don't normally eat peanuts so it doesn't matter to me where they grow. My favorite nuts are cashews & pistachios, both of which come from trees I think.
 
Underground?
I thought it grows in the tree.
Btw where can be peanuts found?
 
That is so weird that they grow underground! I never knew that before. But i guess it makes sense when you look at peanut shells they are 'dry/earthy' feeling sort of like potatoes (due to being underground).
 
"Peanut seeds (kernels) grow into a green oval-leafed plant about 18 inches tall which develop delicate yellow flowers around the lower portion of the plant. The flowers pollinate themselves and then lose their petals as the fertilized ovary begins to enlarge. The budding ovary or 'peg' grows down away from the plant, extending to the soil. The peanut embryo turns horizontal to the soil surface and begins to mature, taking the form of the peanut. From planting to harvesting, the growing cycle takes four to five months, depending on the type or variety."

And from a 2nd source: "After pollination, the fruit develops into a legume 1 to 2 inches long containing 2 to 3 (rarely 1 or 4) seeds, which forces its way underground to mature"

So.... Uhm... Underground and they're actually seeds.... from what I think I understand.
 
I'd always wondered where peanuts came from. Another thing I've wondered is how peanuts come in mass quanitities without the shells. How do they get the shells off?!
 
I would imagine they have a factory that does this.... I've looked for info but just can't find any.

Have a question for you guys/gals about peanuts. When you buy them with the shell on, do you eat the shell??? Do you crack it open, get the nut out and discard the shell?? Or do you put the whole thing in your mouth, get the nut out and THEN discard the shell???
 
That is really neat.. thanks for the thread. I have never really thought about it, to be honest. Where do they come from (states)?
 
Its funny when someone shows you a peanut plant and you are like
' What the hell!'
I only learnt about peanuts growing underground last year, but its pretty cool anyway.
 
Peanuts grow anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line, and are often used for adding nutrients back to the soil. Since the peanuts are in the earth, they'll naturally add organic material back to the earth and feed nutrient demanding plants, such as cotton. That's one of the reasons that Georgia is a top producing state for peanuts -- it's also a top producing cotton state so the soil needs to be reconstituted. In case I haven't been clear, the peanut plant produces peanuts that are produced in the soil. That makes for food for other plants.
 
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