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The Chinese called the peanut la hila j'heng, which means "dropping flower gives birth". And that is actually what happens. The peanut plant that grows about 18" tall and has wide, flat, deep green, clover-like leaves produces a delicate yellow flower above ground level. The flowers are self pollinating. After the petals drop, the peg of the budding ovary begins to grow downward and then into the soil. The peanut embryo is located in the tip of the peg. Once underground. the pegs turn horizontal and the peanuts begin to form. Depending on the variety of the peanut, the growing cycle varies from four to five months. This is why botanically the peanut is a legume, but it is treated more like a nut. The peanut falls in between categories.
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