Peanut (Arachis hypogaea)
Grow your own delicious Peanut (Arachis hypogaea), an annual legume requiring full sun and long warm summers for best harvest.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The common Peanut, scientifically known as Arachis hypogaea, is a unique and rewarding crop to cultivate, primarily valued globally for its edible seeds which develop underground. This herbaceous annual, native to South America, produces foliage resembling a small sweet pea bush, contrasting the subterranean formation of its prized fruit. Gardeners interested in self-sufficiency or unique vegetable production will find the Arachis hypogaea highly functional.
While botanically a legume, the peanut is consumed much like a nut, serving as a significant source of food worldwide, from raw snacks to peanut butter. Successfully growing a crop of peanuts requires diligence, particularly in ensuring a long, warm growing season free from early frosts.
Its distinctive growth habit, where the fertilized flower stalk (peg) buries itself to mature the pod, makes the Peanut a fascinating addition to the vegetable patch. Growing this plant provides both an interesting botanical specimen and a substantial, nutritious harvest if cultural needs are met precisely.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Fabaceae
- Plant Type: Annual
- Native Range: Brazil
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 2-11
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-1.5 ft
- Spread: 0.75-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: July to September
- Bloom Description: Orange-veined yellow flowers
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Starting peanut plants requires patience for warmth; plant seeds in spring only after the ground has sufficiently warmed up. Arachis hypogaea thrives best when situated in full sun and provided with well-composted, fertile, light-textured, sandy, well-drained soils. A critical mineral requirement is calcium, which should be incorporated into the top 3–4 inches of soil as needed prior to planting.
Spacing is key for good yield; sow the peanut seeds about 2 inches deep, placing them in rows spaced approximately 3 feet apart, maintaining 6 to 9 inches between individual plants within the row. Consistent moisture is essential; do not allow the soils to dry out during the growing period, as this directly impacts pod set and development.
Peanut maturation typically requires 120 to 150 days from seeding. When the first fall frost approaches, the entire plant must be dug up carefully. After extraction, remove the excess soil and spread the plants on a dry surface, ensuring they are not touching the ground, to cure properly before stripping the mature pods for storage or consumption.
Landscape Uses
While Arachis hypogaea is seldom chosen purely for ornamental appeal, its role as a productive annual vegetable makes it suitable for inclusion in kitchen gardens or specialized edible landscapes. Planting peanuts in dedicated, well-drained raised beds can provide easy access for the necessary care and harvesting procedures.
For gardeners looking to diversify their food production, the Peanut’s nitrogen-fixing capabilities offer an environmental benefit when rotated with heavy feeders like corn or potatoes. Although its primary value is culinary, the bushy foliage offers a low, sprawling texture ideal for the front edge of warmer-season vegetable borders where its needs for heat are consistent.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Arachis hypogaea, commonly known as peanut, is an herbaceous perennial that is raised as an annual, typically reaching 10–20 inches tall and wide in one season, resembling a small sweet pea bush. It is extensively cultivated for the edible peanuts, which develop after the flower stem buries itself into the ground to form a pod containing 1–4 seeds. Botanically legumes, these plants are valuable nitrogen fixers, making Georgia Washington Carver a key proponent for their use in Southeastern US agriculture rotation.
Tolerances
- No serious insect or disease problems.
Potential Problems
Peanuts are generally robust against pests and diseases, though gardeners should be keenly aware of post-harvest risks. The most significant issues arise from contamination during growth or, more commonly, during improper storage. Poor storage conditions—especially warmth and humidity—can allow the mold fungus Aspergillus flavus to proliferate, leading to aflatoxin contamination, which is a serious health concern. Always ensure harvested pods are thoroughly dried and stored in a clean, cool, dry environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Peanut suitable for?
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is remarkably adaptable and can be grown in USDA Zones 2 through 11, though successful pod development is heavily dependent on achieving long, consistent summer heat within those zones.
How large does Peanut grow?
This annual typically matures to a height between 0.75 and 1.5 feet tall and spreads to a similar width, creating a low, bushy habit.
What sun exposure does Peanut need?
Arachis hypogaea requires full sun exposure to produce a viable crop of peanuts.
When does Peanut bloom?
The pea-like yellow flowers of the Peanut appear throughout the peak summer months, from July to September.
Conclusion
Cultivating the Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) offers the home gardener an exceptionally tasty and botanically interesting yield, unique among common legumes due to its subterranean pod development. By providing the necessary warmth, excellent drainage, and consistent water, you can successfully harvest this valuable food source. Always check your local frost dates before planting seeds in the spring to maximize your harvest window.
Companion Planting with Peanuts
When planning where to place Arachis hypogaea in the garden, consider its nitrogen-fixing properties. Peanuts benefit surrounding heavy-feeding neighbors, making them excellent partners for crops like corn or squash that deplete soil nitrogen rapidly. Planting them near root vegetables such as carrots is generally fine, provided the soil remains light and sandy to allow easy peg development.
Avoid planting Peanuts near members of the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage) that might compete heavily for soil nutrients or overly shade the low-growing plants during their critical fruiting phase. Focus on open areas where their need for full, unobstructed sun is met throughout the summer heat.
Seasonal Care Calendar for Peanut
For optimal Peanut production, focus your efforts corresponding with the seasonal progression. In spring, the primary tasks involve soil amendment, ensuring adequate calcium is added, and waiting for soil temperatures to rise before direct seeding. Summer is dedicated to consistent watering; never allow the soil to dry out, especially as the yellow flowers begin to form and send their pegs downward.
Late summer transitions the focus toward monitoring maturity; the plants will begin to yellow as the 120–150-day maturation period concludes. The crucial step in early fall, before the first hard frost, is harvesting: dig up the entire plant, cure it in a dry, shaded spot off the ground, and then carefully remove the mature peanut pods.
