The fascinating origins of 14 popular vegetables ·

03 Sep 2024, 00:00

Ancient maize — which became corn — can be traced back to a wild grass called teosinte.

You may know that the tomato and tomatillo are related — but fossils discovered in 2017 indicate that the family dates back at least 52 million years.

Long before eggplants were emoji, they were actually shaped like eggs — and some varieties still are.

If it wasn't for domestication, pumpkins and squash might have become extinct.

Carrots used to be much thinner, grown more for their leaves and seeds than their roots — and were most commonly purple, white, and/or yellow.

Ancient potatoes required special eating rituals to avoid poisoning anyone who ate them.

Kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kohlrabi all share the same great-grandparent.

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The fascinating origins of 14 popular vegetables

Ancient maize which became corn can be traced back to a wild grass called teosinte. ADVERTISEMENT You may know that the tomato and tomatillo are related but fossils discovered in 2017 indicate that the family dates back at least 52 million years.

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