Where were potatoes first grown?
Potatoes were first domesticated in the Andes Mountains of South America, in what's now Peru and Bolivia, thousands of years ago.
- Home
- Fact categories
- Vegetable Facts
Vegetable Facts
Vegetable facts and facts about vegetables, from the Random Facts shelf.
120 facts on this shelf
What was the Irish Potato Famine?
The Irish Potato Famine of 1845 to 1852 was caused by a disease that destroyed potato crops. About a million people died and about a million more left Ireland.
What was the first vegetable grown in space?
In 1995, potatoes became the first vegetable grown in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
How did potatoes become popular in France?
French scientist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier helped make potatoes popular in France, reportedly by placing guards around his potato fields so people would think the crop was valuable and steal it.
How many varieties of potatoes are there?
There are about 4,000 varieties of potatoes, most of them found in the Andes.
Why shouldn't you eat green potatoes?
Green patches on potatoes can signal higher levels of solanine, a natural toxin.
When was the International Year of the Potato?
The United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato.
What is chuño?
Chuño is a freeze-dried potato made in the Andes since the time of the Incas.
What was the first toy advertised on TV?
Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on TV, in 1952.
How important is the potato as a crop?
The potato is one of the world's most important food crops, after rice, wheat, and corn.
Did the Supreme Court decide whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable?
In 1893, the US Supreme Court ruled in Nix v. Hedden that the tomato should be treated as a vegetable for tax purposes, even though botanists call it a fruit.
Why did Europeans think tomatoes were poisonous?
Some Europeans once feared tomatoes were poisonous, possibly because acid in tomatoes leached lead from pewter plates.
What is La Tomatina?
La Tomatina is a festival in Buñol, Spain, where people throw tomatoes at each other.
What is the heaviest tomato?
The heaviest tomato on record weighed about 10.8 pounds.
Where does the word "tomato" come from?
The word "tomato" comes from the Nahuatl word "tomatl."
What makes tomatoes red?
Tomatoes get their red color from lycopene.
What is the most popular home garden vegetable?
The tomato is the most popular home garden vegetable in the US.
Did a man eat a tomato on courthouse steps to prove it wasn't poisonous?
The story of Robert Gibbon Johnson eating a tomato on courthouse steps in 1820 to prove it was safe is likely a myth.
Which country grows the most tomatoes?
China grows the most tomatoes in the world.
Was ketchup always made with tomatoes?
Ketchup was originally a fish sauce, and tomato ketchup became popular in the 1800s.
What color were the first carrots?
The first cultivated carrots were purple or yellow. Orange carrots became popular in the Netherlands in the 1600s.
Do carrots help you see in the dark?
During WWII, the British spread the idea that carrots improved night vision to hide their use of radar.
Where does the name "beta-carotene" come from?
Beta-carotene is named after the carrot.
Can eating too many carrots turn your skin orange?
Eating too many carrots can turn your skin orange, a harmless condition called carotenemia.
Who invented baby carrots?
Baby carrots were invented in 1986 by California farmer Mike Yurosek, who cut and shaped imperfect carrots.
What is the heaviest carrot?
The heaviest carrot on record weighed about 22 pounds.
What plants are related to carrots?
Carrots are related to parsley, celery, and dill.
What is Queen Anne's lace?
Queen Anne's lace is the wild ancestor of the carrot.
Which country grows the most carrots?
China grows the most carrots in the world.
Where is the Carrot Capital of the World?
Holtville, California, calls itself the Carrot Capital of the World.
Why do onions make you cry?
Cutting an onion releases a gas that irritates your eyes and makes them water.
Did ancient Egyptians bury onions with mummies?
Ancient Egyptians placed onions in the eye sockets of the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses IV.
Are there tearless onions?
Tearless onions called Sunions went on sale in the US in 2022.
Why are Vidalia onions so sweet?
Vidalia onions are sweet because they grow in low-sulfur soil in Georgia, and only onions from that region can legally use the name.
Were onions ever used as money?
In the Middle Ages, onions were sometimes used to pay rent.
Are onions safe for pets?
Onions are toxic to dogs and cats.
How can you avoid crying when cutting onions?
Chilling onions before cutting them can reduce tears.
Which country eats the most onions per person?
Libya has been reported to eat the most onions per person.
What plants are in the onion family?
The onion family includes garlic, leeks, and chives.
Did General Grant demand onions for his army?
During the Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant reportedly sent a message saying he wouldn't move his army without onions.
What vegetables come from the same plant as broccoli?
Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are all varieties of the same plant species, bred from wild cabbage.
Which president banned broccoli?
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush declared he didn't like broccoli and wouldn't eat it, and it was reportedly banned from Air Force One.
What does "broccoli" mean?
"Broccoli" comes from the Italian word for "little sprouts."
What is Romanesco broccoli?
Romanesco broccoli grows in a natural fractal pattern.
What are broccoli florets?
Broccoli florets are flower buds, and they bloom into yellow flowers if left alone.
Why do some people hate broccoli?
Some people find broccoli bitter because of a gene that affects taste.
Does broccoli have more vitamin C than an orange?
Gram for gram, broccoli has more vitamin C than an orange.
Where is most US broccoli grown?
California grows about 90% of the broccoli in the US.
What is broccolini?
Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli.
What is sulforaphane?
Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a compound being studied for health benefits.
Was lettuce sacred in ancient Egypt?
Ancient Egyptians considered lettuce sacred to Min, a god of fertility.
What was the first vegetable astronauts ate that was grown in space?
In 2015, astronauts on the International Space Station ate red romaine lettuce they had grown on board.
How did iceberg lettuce get its name?
Iceberg lettuce got its name because it was shipped packed in ice.
What plant family does lettuce belong to?
Lettuce belongs to the daisy family.
Where does the name "romaine" come from?
Romaine lettuce is named after Rome.
Does lettuce make you sleepy?
Wild lettuce produces a milky sap that was once used as a mild sedative.
What is the Salad Bowl of the World?
California's Salinas Valley is called the "Salad Bowl of the World."
How much of lettuce is water?
Lettuce is about 95% water.
Where was the Caesar salad invented?
The Caesar salad was invented in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1924 by restaurant owner Caesar Cardini.
Where does the word "lettuce" come from?
The word "lettuce" comes from the Latin word for milk.
Where did corn come from?
Corn was domesticated about 9,000 years ago in Mexico from a wild grass called teosinte.
Which country grows the most corn?
The US grows the most corn in the world.
How many rows does an ear of corn have?
An ear of corn almost always has an even number of rows, often around 16.
What does corn silk do?
Each strand of corn silk connects to a single kernel.
Is corn used for fuel?
Much of the US corn crop is used to make ethanol fuel.
How old is popcorn?
Archaeologists in Peru found evidence of popcorn about 6,700 years old.
What is the Corn Palace?
The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, is decorated with murals made of corn.
Is corn a grass?
Corn is a type of grass.
What was candy corn originally called?
Candy corn was originally called "chicken feed."
What are the Three Sisters?
The "Three Sisters" are corn, beans, and squash, which Native Americans planted together.
How much of a cucumber is water?
A cucumber is about 96% water.
Where did cucumbers come from?
Cucumbers have been grown in India for about 3,000 years.
Which Roman emperor ate cucumbers every day?
Roman Emperor Tiberius reportedly ate cucumbers every day, and his gardeners grew them in early greenhouses.
Is a cucumber a fruit?
Botanically speaking, a cucumber is a fruit in the gourd family.
What are burpless cucumbers?
Burpless cucumbers have less of the compound that makes some cucumbers bitter.
Is a sea cucumber a plant?
A sea cucumber isn't a plant. It's a sea animal.
Why are cats scared of cucumbers?
Videos of cats being startled by cucumbers went viral online.
Are pickles cucumbers?
Pickles are usually cucumbers preserved in brine or vinegar.
What is the difference between pickling and slicing cucumbers?
Pickling cucumbers and slicing cucumbers are different varieties.
Why put cucumber slices on your eyes?
Cucumber slices are put on the eyes because their coolness can reduce puffiness.
Who invented the Scoville scale?
Pharmacist Wilbur Scoville created the Scoville scale in 1912 to measure how spicy peppers are.
Why can't birds feel the heat of chili peppers?
Birds can't feel the burn of capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers hot, so they eat the peppers and spread the seeds.
Who named peppers?
Christopher Columbus named chili plants "peppers."
What is the hottest pepper in the world?
Pepper X was named the world's hottest pepper by Guinness World Records in 2023.
Are red and green bell peppers different plants?
Green, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers are often the same plant at different stages of ripeness.
Does milk help with spicy food?
Milk helps relieve the burn from spicy food.
Where is the Chile Capital of the World?
Hatch, New Mexico, calls itself the Chile Capital of the World.
Where does paprika come from?
Paprika is closely associated with Hungary.
How hot are bell peppers?
Bell peppers have a Scoville rating of zero.
When were chili peppers domesticated?
Chili peppers were domesticated in Mexico about 6,000 years ago.
Did ancient Egyptians eat garlic?
Ancient Egyptian pyramid workers were fed garlic.
Where is the Garlic Capital of the World?
Gilroy, California, calls itself the Garlic Capital of the World.
Why does crushed garlic smell stronger?
Crushing garlic creates allicin, which gives garlic its strong smell.
Which country grows the most garlic?
China grows about three-quarters of the world's garlic.
Why does garlic breath last so long?
Garlic breath lasts because garlic compounds are released through your lungs and skin.
Why is garlic linked to vampires?
In folklore, garlic is said to ward off vampires.
What is black garlic?
Black garlic is garlic aged until it turns black and sweet.
Is garlic safe for pets?
Garlic is toxic to dogs and cats.
Is elephant garlic real garlic?
Elephant garlic is more closely related to leeks than to regular garlic.
Was garlic used as medicine in wartime?
Garlic was used as an antiseptic during World War I and World War II and was nicknamed "Russian penicillin."
Did Popeye make spinach popular?
Popeye the Sailor is credited with boosting spinach consumption in the US.
Is spinach high in iron?
The story that spinach's iron content was exaggerated by a misplaced decimal point is itself a myth.
Where is the Spinach Capital of the World?
Crystal City, Texas, calls itself the Spinach Capital of the World and has a Popeye statue.
Does the body absorb all the iron in spinach?
Oxalates in spinach limit how much of its iron the body can absorb.
Where did spinach come from?
Spinach originated in ancient Persia.
What does "Florentine" mean on a menu?
Dishes called "Florentine" include spinach, a name linked to Catherine de' Medici of Florence.
Can spinach detect explosives?
MIT engineers modified spinach to detect explosives in groundwater in 2016.
Has spinach been used to grow heart tissue?
Researchers used spinach leaves as a framework to grow heart tissue.
Why does spinach shrink when cooked?
Spinach shrinks a lot when cooked because it loses water.
Why does spinach make your teeth feel gritty?
Spinach can make teeth feel gritty because of its oxalic acid.
Is a pumpkin a fruit?
Botanically speaking, a pumpkin is a fruit, and it's about 90% water.
What were the first jack-o'-lanterns made from?
The first jack-o'-lanterns in Ireland were carved from turnips.
What is the heaviest pumpkin?
The heaviest pumpkin on record weighed more than 2,700 pounds.
Which state grows the most pumpkins?
Illinois grows the most pumpkins in the US.
Is canned pumpkin really pumpkin?
Canned pumpkin is often made from a squash variety called the Dickinson pumpkin.
When was the pumpkin spice latte introduced?
Starbucks introduced the pumpkin spice latte in 2003.
What is punkin chunkin?
Punkin chunkin is a contest to see who can launch pumpkins the farthest.
Can you use a pumpkin as a boat?
Giant pumpkin regattas have people paddling hollowed-out pumpkins as boats.
What were the first pumpkin pies like?
Early colonists made pumpkin "pies" by filling hollowed-out pumpkins.
Where are pumpkins native?
Pumpkins are native to North America.