Peanut Seed Varieties

• Snack peanuts are general grown from Virginia or Spanish peanut seeds.peanut image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
  
  Just as there are four main types of peanuts, there are also four main types of peanut seed: Virginia, Spanish, Runner and Valencia. Each type has a distinctive flavor, and the size of both the nut and seed vary between types. Different types of nuts are used for making different peanut products, like peanut butter, snack nuts or oil. Therefore, select peanut seed depending upon what your main use for peanuts will be, and based on suitability for growing in your region.
  
  

Runner Peanuts

• Runner peanuts are one of the most common types of peanut. They have a very even kernel size and are used primarily for peanut-butter production. This type of peanut seed is planted and grown in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas.
  
  

Spanish Peanuts

• Spanish peanuts are small-kerneled nuts covered in a reddish-brown skin. These seeds are grown for their flavor, and are used in a variety of peanut products, including candies, snack, oils and peanut butter. Spanish peanut seeds are best suited for growing in Oklahoma and Texas.
  
  

Valencia Peanuts

• Valencia peanuts are a sweeter peanut than the other varieties. This type of seed is grown for roasting or boiling, and is generally sold as a snack nut. Valencia seeds are best suited to grow in New Mexico. However, Dr. William D. Branch at the University of Georgia's Coastal Plain Experiment Station developed the Georgia Valencia, which is well-suited for growing in Georgia and exhibits a high tolerance to disease. The Georgia Valencia is a certified seed that can only be grown by licensed growers.
  
  

Virginia Peanuts

• Virginia peanuts are large-kerneled nuts and are grown primarily as snack nuts. Their large kernels are well suited for roasting in the shell. This seed variety is grown primarily in the southeastern United States, including Virginia and the Carolinas.
  
  

Peanut Seed Variety

• Growers of all types of peanut seed should be aware that the Peanut Variety Protection Act (PVP) limits the production and distribution of certain seed varieties. Always check with a local extension office or with the USDA Plant Variety Protection Office.