where do nuts come from

Most nuts come from the seeds of trees and shrubs, and a few come from legumes that grow underground or in pods on low plants.

What nuts actually are

Botanically, a “nut” is a hard, dry fruit with a seed inside, usually from a woody plant. In everyday language, people also call seeds like almonds and cashews “nuts” even if they are not true nuts in the strict scientific sense.

Where common nuts grow

• Peanuts grow in the ground on a low plant; the flowers form above ground, then bend down and push the pods into the soil where the peanuts mature. Peanuts are legumes, related to beans and peas, not true tree nuts.

• Almonds grow on small trees in warm, dry regions such as Mediterranean climates and parts of California. The “nut” is the seed inside a hard shell surrounded by a fleshy outer hull.

• Walnuts and pecans grow on large trees; the edible part is the seed inside a thick, woody shell that is enclosed by a green outer husk that dries and splits open.

• Hazelnuts grow on shrubs or small trees, often in temperate regions; the nuts form in clusters and are partly wrapped in papery husks.

• Cashews grow on cashew trees as a seed at the end of the cashew apple; the shell around the cashew contains irritant oils and has to be carefully processed before eating.

• Macadamias originate from rainforest trees in Australia but are now grown in warm regions like Hawaii, South Africa, and South America.

How nuts form on plants

• A flower on the tree or plant is pollinated, usually by wind or insects, and starts to develop into a fruit.

• The fruit’s outer parts may stay soft and fleshy (as in almonds) or become a husk that eventually splits, revealing a hard shell.

• Inside that hard shell is the seed, which is the nut people eat once the fruit is harvested, dried, and processed.

Where in the world nuts come from

• Many “old world” nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and some early hazelnuts were first cultivated around the Mediterranean and Middle East thousands of years ago.

• Peanuts and cashews originated in South America and spread to Africa and Asia through trade and colonization.

• Macadamias originated in Australia, and today large commercial orchards are found in countries like South Africa, Brazil, and the United States.

TL;DR: Nuts are seeds from trees, shrubs, or legumes; they start as flowers, turn into fruits with hard shells, and are harvested from orchards or fields in warm, often semi-dry regions around the world.