Cacahuète

Botanical Information
Scientific Name: Arachis hypogaea

Family: Fabaceae (Legume/Pea family)

Classification: Despite its common name, the peanut is botanically a legume (like beans and peas), not a true nut.

Geocarpy: The peanut plant is unusual because its fruit, the pod, develops underground. After the flower is fertilized above ground, a stalk-like structure called a 'peg' grows down into the soil, where the pod ripens. The species name hypogaea literally means "under the earth."

Origin: Native to South America, the peanut is now cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.

Soil Benefit: Like other legumes, peanut roots host symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which enriches the soil, making it a valuable crop in agricultural rotation