06/10/2026
This is Perennial Peanut. A warm-season forage rooted in our pastures that we use to finish our cattle. 🌱🐂
Perennial peanut is a legume known for its excellent forage quality. It can be used for both grazing and hay production, though we primarily use it for grazing cattle. It can also be grazed by sheep, goats, and horses.
This forage can grow up to about 18 inches tall, forming dense green foliage with bright yellow flowers. It is also considered low maintenance because it is highly resistant to weeds, nematodes, and diseases. On top of that, perennial peanut is drought tolerant, requires minimal watering once established, and thrives in North Florida soils.
You may be surprised to learn that perennial peanut is not the same as the regular eating peanuts. Perennial peanut produces bright yellow flowers but does not produce edible nuts. Instead of being planted by seed, it is established using rhizomes.
Rhizomes are thick, horizontal underground stems that act as the plant’s energy storage system. They allow the plant to survive through winter and regrow year after year. These hardy underground mats are usually found about 1 to 3 inches below the soil surface and send up new shoots, making perennial peanut a self-sustaining forage that spreads vegetatively rather than by seed.
For livestock, perennial peanut typically offers around 15–20% crude protein, making it a high-quality forage option for grazing animals.
It is just one example of how the right forage can benefit the livestock, the land, and the long-term health of the ranch.
