| Common Name | Latin Name | Plant Family |
|---|---|---|
|
Peanut |
Arachis hypogaea |
Leguminosae |
The seeds yield a non-drying oil that has a wide range of uses including the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, soaps, cold creams, pomades and lubricants, paints, emulsions for insect control, and fuel for diesel engines[268, 269].
Peanut hulls are used for furfural, fuel, as a filler for fertilizers or for sweeping compounds[269].
Cultivation & Habitat
Seed – pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and sow the seed in mid spring in a warm greenhouse. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots of fairly rich soil and grow them on fast, planting them out after the last expected frosts and giving them some protection (such as a cloche) until they have settled down and are growing well.
Prefers a light humus-rich well-drained soil in a warm sunny sheltered position, though it will tolerate heavier soils[200, 269]. Plants prefer hot dry conditions when the crop is ripening[200]. Peanuts are quite tolerant of acid soils, and aluminium, requiring a minimum of lime for acceptable yields[269]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.7[269].
Plants are not frost-hardy and most cultivars require too long a growing season to make them a viable crop in Britain. Some cultivars, however (listed below), have a shorter growing season and are worthy of more research in this country[K].
The peanut is widely cultivated in the tropics and sub-tropics for its edible seed and oil contained in the seed, there are many named varieties[200]. It grows best between latitudes 40¡ south and 40¡ north[200]. Yields average about 1 tonne of unshelled nuts per hectare, about 80% of this weight is edible seeds (erect forms) and 60 – 75% (running forms)[200]. Crops can be grown at further distances from the equator but yields are likely to be poor[200]. There are three main groups of cultivars:- ‘Virginia’ has large seeds, ‘Valencia’ has four seeds per pod and ‘Spanish’ has the smallest seeds[200]. There are running and erect forms in each group[200]. The erect forms mature more quickly and are therefore more likely to succeed in colder areas[200]. ‘Early Spanish’ matures in 105 days and has cropped reliably as far north as Canada[183]. ‘Spanish’ matures in 110 days and crops in Canada if grown in a light sandy soil with southern exposure[183].
Plants are, in general, self-pollinating, though occasional outcrossing by bees occurs[269].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.
S. America.
Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.
*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.