Types of Peanut Varieties
There are four main types of peanut plants grown in the United States: runner peanuts, Virginia peanuts, Spanish peanuts, and Valencia peanuts. While we are all probably familiar with Spanish peanuts, they actually only account for about 4% of the peanut crops grown in the U.S. The most commonly grown type of peanut plants are runner peanuts, which make up about 80% grown. Virginia peanuts account for 15% and Valencia peanuts contribute to only 1% to the U.S. peanut crop.
Runner peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are primarily grown in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, with Georgia producing 40% of the U.S. peanut crop. Runner peanuts are most commonly used in the production of peanut butter. Virginia peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are primarily grown in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. They produce the largest nuts and are most often used as snacking peanuts. Virginia peanuts have also become very popular in gourmet, all-natural peanut butters. Spanish peanuts (Arachis fastigata) are primarily grown in Texas and Oklahoma. Their nuts have bright red skins. Spanish peanuts are used in candies or sold as salted, shelled peanuts for snacking and are also used in the production of peanut butter. Valencia peanuts (Arachis fastigata) are mostly produced in New Mexico. They are known as the sweetest tasting peanuts and are, therefore, very popular for all natural and homemade peanut butters. Valencia peanuts also make delicious, boiled peanuts.
Breaking Down the Different Varieties of Peanut
These four types of peanut plants are further broken down into different varieties of peanuts. Some common varieties of runner peanuts are:
Florunner Sunrunner Southern Runner Georgia Runner Georgia Green Flavor Runner 458
Common varieties of Virginia peanuts include:
Bailey Champs Florida Fancy Gregory Perry Phillips Sugg Sullivan Titan Wynne
Some of the most common varieties of Spanish peanuts are:
Georgia-045 Olin Pronto Spanco Tamspan 90
Generally, most of the Valencia peanuts grown in the U.S. are of the variety Tennessee Reds.
