Pinto Peanut
Arachis pintoi
Also known as Forage Peanut
Climate Match for your location
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A low-growing, nitrogen-fixing legume groundcover with small orange-yellow flowers and attractive foliage. Widely used in permaculture and tropical/subtropical farming as a living mulch and cover crop.
Why grow it
Pinto peanut establishes more readily than many tropical legume groundcovers in areas with poor or compacted soils, and its low growth habit (typically 6-12 inches) makes it suitable for use under taller perennial crops without excessive competition. Compared to other nitrogen-fixing covers like clover or vetch, it tolerates heat and humidity better in subtropical and tropical climates, though it requires warmer conditions than temperate alternatives. It produces modest biomass and fixes nitrogen at rates typical for low-growing legumes, making it most valuable as a persistent living mulch rather than as a heavy mulch producer.
Watch out for
Establishment can be slow from seed, particularly in the first 6-8 weeks, and the plant performs poorly in waterlogged or poorly drained soils despite its heat tolerance. In cooler regions it is frost-sensitive and may die back or perform weakly outside its preferred tropical and subtropical range. Dense establishment may take one to two seasons to fully suppress weeds, so patience and initial management are needed rather than expecting immediate ground coverage.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Fabaceae
Native Range
South America
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
The original Arachis pintoi is widely grown; no major cultivars with distinct names are widely recognized, though seed-grown populations vary slightly in vigor and foliage.
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A low-growing, nitrogen-fixing legume groundcover with small orange-yellow flowers and attractive foliage. Widely used in permaculture and tropical/subtropical farming as a living mulch and cover crop.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Pinto Peanut grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Pinto peanut establishes more readily than many tropical legume groundcovers in areas with poor or compacted soils, and its low growth habit (typically 6-12 inches) makes it suitable for use under taller perennial crops without excessive competition. Compared to other nitrogen-fixing covers like clover or vetch, it tolerates heat and humidity better in subtropical and tropical climates, though it requires warmer conditions than temperate alternatives. It produces modest biomass and fixes nitrogen at rates typical for low-growing legumes, making it most valuable as a persistent living mulch rather than as a heavy mulch producer.
Watch out for
Establishment can be slow from seed, particularly in the first 6-8 weeks, and the plant performs poorly in waterlogged or poorly drained soils despite its heat tolerance. In cooler regions it is frost-sensitive and may die back or perform weakly outside its preferred tropical and subtropical range. Dense establishment may take one to two seasons to fully suppress weeds, so patience and initial management are needed rather than expecting immediate ground coverage.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Fabaceae
Native Range
South America
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
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Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
The original Arachis pintoi is widely grown; no major cultivars with distinct names are widely recognized, though seed-grown populations vary slightly in vigor and foliage.