Golden Blooms Magic: Cultivating Arachis duranensis Like a Pro

The Arachis duranensis is a perennial herbaceous plant from the peanut genus in the legume family. It has climbing stems and grows to a height of 10-15 centimeters. The leaves are arranged alternately, ovate, and have entire margins.

Flowers are axillary, butterfly-shaped, and bright golden-yellow, creating a vivid display. The plant blooms during the daytime and closes at night, with a flowering season that spans from March to November. The fruit is peach-shaped with a thin shell.

Native to the tropical regions of Asia and South America, the Creeping Peanut is widely cultivated in Southern China. It tolerates shade and is not particular about soil, though sandy loam is preferred.

The optimal growing temperature ranges from 18°C to 32°C. It has a certain level of drought and heat tolerance and can resist harmful gases. Propagation is typically done through cuttings rather than seeding due to the labor-intensive nature of seed collection.

The Creeping Peanut’s strong resistance to harmful gases makes it suitable for use in garden green spaces and as a ground cover in highway medians.

Its robust root system also makes it effective in preventing soil erosion on roadsides and slopes. Additionally, it can be used as green manure and fodder due to its ability to purify the air from harmful gases.

With its aesthetic appeal, evergreen nature, and resistance to weeds and pests, the Creeping Peanut requires little pruning, thus conserving labor and resources.

I. Morphological Characteristics

This perennial herb is covered with fine fuzz, standing 10-15 centimeters tall and spreading horizontally. It has a prominent main root with many nodulated fibrous roots. The stem is vine-like, with internodes measuring 1.5-2 centimeters long.

The even-pinnate compound leaves are alternate, with two stipules and two pairs of leaflets, each 1.5-3 centimeters long and 1-2 centimeters wide, ovate, with entire margins, and closing at night.

The axillary flowers are butterfly-shaped and golden-yellow, with three petals and elongated pedicels. The banner petal is nearly circular, the wing petals are oblong with auricles, and the keel petals curve inward, resembling a beak.

There are ten stamens, monadelphous, with anthers of two sizes, with the longer ones almost sessile and the shorter ones on spherical bases. The ovary is nearly sessile, with a slender style.

After flowering, the fruit develops into a peach-shaped pod with a thin shell, which scatters easily and is difficult to collect. The blooming period is from spring to autumn, with an abundant floral display.

II. Origin and Habitat

Originally from South America, the Creeping Peanut is extensively planted in South China. It thrives in warm and humid climates, performing best in full to partial sunlight, especially during the sunny and rainy high-temperature seasons.

The plant grows optimally at temperatures between 18°C and 30°C. It is not particular about soil types but grows best in red soil. It is highly resistant to harmful gases, shade-tolerant, and has reasonable drought and heat resistance, though it is not very frost-hardy.

III. Related Species

There are about 22 species in the genus, native to tropical America, with 2 species introduced to China.

IV. Propagation Methods

Propagation of Creeping Peanut is typically done through cuttings rather than seed collection, which is more challenging.

Cuttings can be taken in spring, summer, or fall, with summer and autumn being the most favorable seasons. High success rates are achieved when cuttings are taken during the rainy season or on cloudy days.

Cutting Preparation: Select robust plants free from pests and diseases for cuttings. Take stem segments from the middle or upper parts, cutting them to approximately 12 centimeters in length.

Make the upper cut about 1 centimeter above a bud, and the lower cut 0.1-0.3 centimeters below a bud located at the base.

The area near the nodes is rich in nutrients and has an active cambium, which promotes healing and root formation. After cutting, dip the cuttings in ABT rooting powder for 1-2 seconds to disinfect the wounds and encourage healing and root development.

Cutting Medium: Red loam, garden soil, or fine sand can be used as the medium. Experiences have shown that a mixture of garden soil, humus soil, and perlite in a 6:3:1 ratio is particularly effective, leading to fast rooting and high survival rates.

Cutting Bed: Select a shaded area with a bed frame built from bricks measuring 10 meters in length, 1-1.2 meters in width, and 0.25-0.3 meters in height.

Place a thin layer of stones at the bottom for drainage and cover with the prepared medium. The medium should be slightly compacted before inserting the cuttings or placing them in nutrient bags.

Inserting Cuttings: Insert the cuttings at an angle into the seedbed or nutrient bags to a depth of half to two-thirds their length. A spacing of 3-4 centimeters between each plant is ideal.

After inserting, firm the soil and water thoroughly. Standard care procedures should be followed, with healing usually occurring within 2 weeks and roots forming after 4 weeks.

V. Cultivation Techniques

Post-Insertion Care: In the greenhouse, the control of moisture, temperature, and humidity is crucial for the rooting success of cuttings and the subsequent growth quality of the seedlings.

Moisture Management: The surface soil of the cutting bed should remain moist. As the plants grow, pay attention to the amount of water to avoid over-drying or over-saturating, which is beneficial for plant growth.

Temperature and Humidity Adjustment: Adjust the temperature and humidity in the greenhouse in a timely manner. During the day, the temperature should be between 15-28°C, and at night, between 6-20°C.

When the temperature reaches 30°C, open the ends or several places of the greenhouse covering to facilitate ventilation and cooling. The humidity should be kept between 75%-95%.

If humidity drops below 50% or rises above 98%, mist the plants or adjust the coverings to regulate the humidity through ventilation.

Fertilization: Begin fertilizing once the cuttings have rooted. Initially, apply a 0.05%-0.1% urea solution weekly, and as the seedlings grow, gradually increase the amount and extend the fertilization period.

Once the Creeping Peanut seedlings are well-established, they can be transferred from the shade house to green spaces after 2-3 months. Red loam soil is preferred, with good sunlight and drainage.

A plant row spacing of 25 centimeters by 30 centimeters is ideal. Follow standard green space maintenance practices, and within 2-3 months, a dense turf can be established.

During early frost periods, protect the plants with non-woven fabric and enhance resistance through diligent management of fertilization and watering.

VI. Primary Value

Creeping Peanut is highly ornamental, resistant to harmful gases, possesses a well-developed root system, is not prone to pests and diseases, generally requires no pruning, and is easy to maintain.

These qualities make it an excellent ground cover for landscaping, along highways, and in medians. It also serves well on slopes to prevent soil erosion. As a promising ground cover, it has significant potential for widespread application in landscape greening.