Alfalfa |
(fr:luzerne de:alfalfa it:erba medica pt:alfafa es:alfalfa, mielga) |
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Origin: Native to Europe and found worldwide. It most likely originated in the middle east near the area that is currently Iran. Cultivation began in the 17th century. |
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Trifolieae
Genus: Medicago |
Almond |
(fr:amande de:mandel it:mandorla pt:amendoz es:almendra) |
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Origin: Almonds are probably natives of southwest Asia and north Africa. Because of its wide spread planting in the Old World, however, its original distribution is unknown. |
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Prunoideae
Genus: Prunus
Species: Prunus dulcis |
Apple |
(fr:pomme de:apfel it:melo pt:maca es:manzano) |
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Origin: The wild ancestor of the domestic apple is found in the mountains of Central Asia in southern Kazakhstan. More than 7500 cultivars exist. |
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Maloideae
Genus: Malus |
Apricot |
(fr:abricot de:aprikose it:albicocca pt:damasco es:albaricoque) |
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Origin: Northeastern China near the Russian border. Romans brought to Europe about 70BC. English and Spanish brought seeds to the New World |
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Prunus
Species: armeniaca |
Asparagus |
(fr:asperge de:spargel it:asparago pt:aspargo es:esparrago) |
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Origin: A 2000 year old native of the Eastern Medierranean area, archeologists found traces of wild varieties in Africa and think it may also have been cultivated in Egypt. |
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Genus: Asparagus Species:A. officinalis |
Beans |
fr:haricot de:dohne it:fagiolo pt:feijao es:frijol) |
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Origin: The origin of beans is not known. Some cite the Mediterranean and others claim South America. Bean fossils have been found in Egyptian tombs, American caves and ancient Asia. |
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Phaseoleae
Genus: phaseolus
Species: lunatur |
Cherry |
(fr:cerise de:kirche it:ciliegio pt:cereja es:cerezo) |
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Origin: Cultivated cherries started with the Greeks (300 BC). These varieties probably came from Asia Minor and China. It is thought the sweet cherry originated around the Capsian Sea. |
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae - Rose
Family Genus: Prunus - plum Species:
Prunus avium |
Corn |
(fr:mais de:korn it:callo pt:milho es:trigo) |
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Origin: Studies indicate that corn has been cultivated in the Americas for over 5600 years making it's exact origin unknown. No wild forms of corn have been found. It is thought that American Indians transformed a wild variety by selection and mutation. |
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Tribe: Andropogoneae
Genus:Zea
Species:Zea mays |
Onion |
(fr:oignon de:zwiebel it:cipolla pt:cebola es:cebolla) |
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Origin: Probably the oldest crop known to man. Traces of onion remains have been found in ruins dating back to 5000BC |
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Allium cepa |
Pepper |
(fr:poivron de:pfeffer it:capsico pt:capsico es:pimiento) |
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Origin: Native to South America, early Spaniard and Portugese explorers took peppers back to Europe. They were named peppers when they discovered it was the fiery spice in their native food |
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae - nightshade
Genus: Capsicum
Species: Capsicum annuum |
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Sweet Potato |
(fr:patpte douch de:susse kartoffel it:patata dulce pt:botata doce es:patata dulce) |
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Sweet potatoes are native to Central and South America. Domestication took place at least 5000 years ago and the species spread to the Caribbean and the Tropical America. |
Order:Solanales
Family:Convolvulaceae
Genus:Ipomoea
Species:I. batatas |
Tomato |
(fr:tonate de:tomate it:pomodoreo pt:tomateiro es:tomate) |
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Origin: Believed to be first cultivated in ancient Peru, 3000 years ago it was brought into Mexico. The modern tomato is believed to be a direct ancestor of the Mexican esculenitum cerasiforme. Once believed to be poisonous by Europeans they started using it as a food in the 18th century |
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: lycopersicum |
Walnut |
(fr:noix de:walnut it:noce pt:noz es:nuez) |
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Origin: The common walnut originated in Persia. Walnut groves existed around 2,000 B.C. in Mesopotamia. The Persian walnut was renamed the English walnut during the Middle Ages, when English sailors carried and traded them throughout Europe and beyond. Walnuts first came to California via Spanish Franciscan missionaries. |
Order: Fagales
Family: Juglandaceae
Genus: Juglans
Species: Juglans regia - common walnut |
Wine Grape |
(fr:grappe de raisin de:weinrebe it:uva de vino pt:noz es:uva de vino) |
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Origin: The use of grapes dates back over 6,000 years. Mesopotamian's and Ancient Egyptian's had farming plans for vines. Grape cultivation and wine making in China took place around 200BC. Viniferous grapes are native to Asia near the Caspian Sea and were imported to Europe in its infancy. |
Order: Vitales
Family: Vitaceae
Genus: Vitis
Species: Vitis vinifera |
