Peanut - monkey nut

One of the most entertaining plants that a person can grow is a peanut or monkey nut plant. The nut must be in its shell, which must not contain any puncture marks or cracks in. Place the nut about one-and-a-half inches below the compost in a small to medium size flower pot. Sprinkle with water and after about a week a small mound of earth begins to erupt in the middle of the pot. Very soon the nut shell is pushed to the surface. Shortly after this, the plant pushes the nut shell out of the earth and above the soil to about two inches - it is at this stage that it looks like a little old man wearing a very large hat (the peanut shell). It soon tosses off the shell to reveal lacy leaves these are similar to pea leaves as it is a member of the pea family.

This plant grows extremely quickly and soon forms a very small pretty bush with bright little orange flowers. The plant is approximately ten to twelve inches in height at this stage, so can either be placed on a kitchen windowsill or outside in a tub.

:o)