The humble potato was domesticated in the South American Andes some 8,000 years ago and was only brought to Europe in the mid-1500s, from where it spread west and northwards, back to the Americas, and beyond.
Are potatoes originally from America?
The potato is a starchy tuber of the plant Solanum tuberosum and is a root vegetable native to the Americas , with the plant itself being a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species, originating in modern-day Peru, can be found throughout the Americas, from Canada to southern Chile.
Who brought the potato to Europe?
Sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland in 1589 on the 40,000 acres of land near Cork. It took nearly four decades for the potato to spread to the rest of Europe. Eventually, agriculturalists in Europe found potatoes easier to grow and cultivate than other staple crops, such as wheat and oats.
Are potatoes originally from Mexico?
The presence of wild potato plants in Mexico indicates that it lies within the potato's area of origin . However, some evidence suggests cultivated varieties were brought there by Spanish conquerors during the 1500s.
Are potatoes originally from Africa?
Potato arrived late in Africa , around the turn of the 20th century. ... Potatoes are grown under a wide range of conditions – from irrigated commercial farms in Egypt and South Africa to intensively cultivated tropical highland zones of Eastern and Central Africa, where it is mainly a small farmer's crop.
Who brought potatoes to America?
The ever- exploring Europeans brought the potato into North America in the 1620s when the British governor in the Bahamas made a special gift of them to the governor of Virginia. They spread slowly through the northern colonies, but had much of the same initial reception in North America as they did in Europe.
Is potato a vegetable or a fruit?
Are Potatoes Vegetables? Yes. Botanically speaking, a potato is definitely a vegetable . It comes from an annual plant that is grown for its edible root.
Why were potatoes illegal in France?
There was a period when the humble spud was potato-non-grata in France. ... However, French people did not trust the new food, which was used mainly for feeding pigs, and in 1748 growing potatoes was banned by parliament as they were thought to spread disease, especially leprosy .
What country eats most potatoes?
Based on a comparison of 155 countries in 2018, China ranked the highest in potato consumption with 60,964 kt followed by India and USA. On the other end of the scale was Guinea Bissau with 1.00 kt, Cambodia with 1.00 kt and Central African Republic with 1.00 kt.
What country is the largest producer of potatoes?
China is now the biggest potato producer, and almost a third of all potatoes is harvested in China and India.
Is potato a root or stem?
Potatoes, grown in cooler climates or seasons around the world, are often thought of as roots because they usually grow in the ground. But technically they are starchy, enlarged modified stems called tubers, which grow on short branches called stolons from the lower parts of potato plants.
Why are they called potato eyes?
Potato plants are perennials that grow low to the ground like vines. ... These are the small sprouts we call potato “eyes.” It's from these buds that new potato plants can grow . So even though a potato's eyes can't help it see underground, they can help grow more potatoes!
Which vegetables came from Africa?
Across the eastern part of Africa, some common vegetables include African black nightshade (solanum nigrum), stinging nettle, amaranth, spiderplant (cleome gynandra), Pumpkin, black-eyed peas commonly known as cowpeas, african eggplant, Ethiopian kale (brassica carinata) and okra.
What did the Irish eat before potatoes?
Grains, either as bread or porridge , were the other mainstay of the pre-potato Irish diet, and the most common was the humble oat, usually made into oatcakes and griddled (ovens hadn't really taken off yet).
What did the British eat before potatoes?
Cereals remained the most important staple during the early Middle Ages as rice was introduced late, and the potato was only introduced in 1536, with a much later date for widespread consumption. Barley, oats and rye were eaten by the poor. Wheat was for the governing classes.
