Perennial peanut hay and the peanut vines baled after a nut crop are not the same forage. That distinction matters before you buy a truckload, promise a horse customer a particular hay, or order planting material for a new field. The shared name is not enough to identify what is in the bale.
Quick answer: Rhizoma perennial peanut, Arachis glabrata, is grown specifically as forage and established from rhizomes. Annual peanut vine hay generally comes from Arachis hypogaea after the edible peanuts are harvested. Confirm the crop and harvest history, inspect and test the actual lot, and check pesticide restrictions before treating either product as suitable feed.
This guide is for hay buyers, livestock owners and producers considering a Southeast forage crop. XES manufactures bale net wrap; we do not grow or sell peanut hay. The comparison draws on farmer questions and Extension sources, not an XES feeding trial or a ration recommendation.
Perennial peanut hay vs annual peanut vines
In a 2024 HayTalk discussion, a grower who had fed peanut hay in Florida wondered whether to grow it near St. Louis. Replies first had to establish which crop he meant. A 2018 discussion had exposed the same confusion. These are two conversations, but they revisit the same grower's interest — not two independent crop trials.
The University of Florida IFAS guide to rhizoma perennial peanut identifies Arachis glabrata as a relative of the edible peanut, Arachis hypogaea. Most evaluated rhizoma perennial peanut selections produce essentially no seed. Their underground stems, or rhizomes, provide the planting material and support regrowth.
| Question | Rhizoma perennial peanut hay | Annual peanut vine hay |
|---|---|---|
| What plant is it? | Arachis glabrata, a perennial forage legume. | Generally Arachis hypogaea, the annual edible-peanut crop. |
| Why was it grown? | For forage, including hay or grazing. | Usually for nuts, with remaining vines recovered after harvest. |
| How is a new crop established? | Rhizomes for the rhizoma forage discussed here. | Seed for the annual nut crop. |
| What harvest history matters? | Cutting management, leaf retention, curing and storage. | Digging, nut harvest, remaining leaf material, soil pickup and storage. |
| What proves feeding value? | A representative lot analysis and assessment for the intended animals. | The same — the word “peanut” does not establish nutrient content or suitability. |
An older HayTalk harvest discussion describes vines being baled after the nut-harvesting operation, including the dirt involved in that process. It illustrates why the products are easily confused. It does not establish the nutrient value, cleanliness or price of a load offered today.
Ask these questions before buying peanut hay
Start with the seller's crop description, then connect it to the bales you will actually receive. A photograph of a leafy perennial peanut plant does not identify a dried, mixed or weathered load. Ask the seller to describe the crop and production process in writing rather than relying on “Florida alfalfa” or “peanut hay.”
- Which crop and field? Is this dedicated rhizoma perennial peanut forage or annual peanut residue? Is another grass or crop mixed in?
- Which harvest and lot? Record the harvest date, relevant cutting or nut-harvest history, storage conditions and which bales the description covers.
- What condition is the hay in? Inspect for leaf retention, weeds, soil, foreign material, dampness and spoilage. A tidy outside does not describe the bale's interior.
- Is there a representative forage report? Make sure the sample and report belong to the offered lot, not a different field or last year's best cutting.
- What was applied to the crop? Obtain the application history and confirmation that applicable haying, grazing and feeding restrictions have been satisfied.
- What are the sale terms? Agree on actual quantity, weight basis, delivery, lot identity and how a material mismatch will be handled before the truck arrives.
The US Environmental Protection Agency explains that pesticide labeling is legally enforceable. Do not assume that permission to harvest edible peanuts also means every treated crop residue may be fed. Likewise, a perennial forage label cannot be inferred from an annual-peanut use. If records or restrictions are unclear, resolve them with the applicator, supplier and appropriate local adviser before using the lot.
UF/IFAS's perennial peanut weed-control guide specifically warns that its expanded list of permitted products reflects a Florida ruling and that producers elsewhere must check their own state requirements. Product formulation and use pattern matter. This guide does not reproduce herbicide rates or present an old forum recommendation as a current label approval.
Compare the actual forage, not the “Florida alfalfa” nickname
UF/IFAS describes rhizoma perennial peanut as a highly nutritious, palatable forage with nutritive value comparable to alfalfa. That explains the nickname and its place in horse and dairy hay markets. It does not mean every perennial peanut bale has the same composition as every alfalfa bale, or that annual peanut vines inherit those values.
Ask for the measurements relevant to the intended feeding use. Our hay-test guide explains dry matter, protein, fiber and other report terms. Where soil pickup is a concern, discuss ash testing with the laboratory. As University of Minnesota Extension explains, total ash includes the plant's natural minerals as well as possible soil contamination; it is not a stand-alone dirt or safety test.
Compare offers on a common weight, moisture and quality basis rather than treating a price per bale as a price per unit of nutrition. Use the hay-pricing worksheet for that calculation instead of relying on prices posted in old forum threads. Freight and expected usable feed matter too, especially when buying unfamiliar forage from another region.
For horses or cattle with particular dietary needs, have the actual lot and proposed use reviewed by the animal's veterinarian or qualified nutritionist. No crop name guarantees low sugar, freedom from contaminants, suitability for every animal or protection against digestive problems. Do not assume a suspect load is acceptable merely because someone describes it as “cow hay.”
Can you grow perennial peanut hay where you farm?
Growing annual garden peanuts does not prove that a rhizoma perennial peanut hay stand will persist or pay. Mississippi State University Extension limits adaptation to the lower Coastal Plain on well-drained sandy soils and notes that full establishment can take 2–3 years. UF/IFAS also emphasizes drainage and differences between cultivars.
Do not turn a forum's single temperature or latitude into a planting guarantee. Ask local Extension staff about the exact cultivar, winter survival, growing season, drainage and availability of suitable rhizomes. A small, supervised evaluation is different from budgeting a commercial crop on an unproven site.
| Published reference point | What it means for planning |
|---|---|
| 2–3 years to full establishment | Mississippi State's warning to budget establishment time, not immediate mature-stand income. |
| 1–5-acre nursery areas | UF/IFAS describes this as one way producers obtain their own future planting material; it is not a required starting size. |
| 3–6 tons of dry matter per acre | UF/IFAS reports this yield range for the crop. It is not a first-year forecast or a promised saleable-hay yield on your land. |
| 3 hay cuttings per year | The Florida guide's yield-quality compromise, not a universal schedule for every cultivar and location. |
| 4-inch stubble | UF/IFAS recommends this for persistence on the South Florida flatwood sites it discusses; it notes that well-drained fields can differ. |
The practical budget includes suitable planting material, site preparation, establishment weed control, soil-test-based fertility, labor and the period before dependable harvests. Nitrogen fixation does not mean the crop needs no fertility management. UF/IFAS specifically directs intensive hay producers to maintain adequate phosphorus and potassium using soil-test recommendations.
Before investing, also confirm the market. A buyer wanting clean perennial peanut hay may not want annual vines, a grass-heavy mixture or a different bale format. Establishing a productive stand and producing the product that buyer accepts are separate jobs.
Plan leaf retention, curing and a wet-weather alternative
UF/IFAS reports that leaf content and nutritive value change with harvest interval. A mature stand is therefore not simply a fixed number of cuttings waiting to be collected. Discuss harvest timing for your cultivar, site and intended buyer, and judge the actual crop rather than copying a calendar from another state.
The Florida guide also acknowledges the difficulty of curing legume hay in humid conditions and identifies ensiling as a possible alternative. That is a planned production and feeding route, not a rescue label for wet hay. If you do not have suitable equipment, a preservation plan and an appropriate market, do not assume a rainy cutting can simply be sold as a different product.
Handle the crop to retain leaves while achieving appropriate curing, and assess bales before storage. Our guide to hay leaf loss covers the general harvest decisions without treating all legumes as identical. For a change in preservation system, see dry hay versus baleage.
For round-bale production, choose net wrap that fits the baler and follow the machine and material guidance. Net holds the bale together; it cannot restore lost leaves, remove soil, correct unsafe moisture or provide the airtight package required for baleage. Remove binding before feeding.
Annual peanut vines are not free of production costs
If you are selling annual peanut residue, price the harvesting job as well as the forage. Include baling, labor, fuel, storage, handling, freight and the consequences of removing plant material from the field. The fact that nuts were the primary crop does not make the remaining vines cost-free.
University of Georgia Extension's January 2025 peanut-hay note illustrates the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium value removed with baled residue. Its dollar estimate uses historical fertilizer prices and should not be copied into a current quote. Ask an agronomist to assess residue removal and replacement costs for the actual field.
Describe the product plainly on the offer and load record: annual peanut vine hay is not perennial peanut hay. Keep forage lots and reports identifiable through storage and delivery. That simple distinction helps buyers compare honestly and avoids selling a crop-residue product under a dedicated-forage description.
Frequently asked questions
Is perennial peanut hay the same as peanut vines?
No. Rhizoma perennial peanut hay comes from Arachis glabrata grown as forage. Annual peanut vine hay generally comes from Arachis hypogaea after edible-peanut harvest. Ask which crop and harvest process produced the lot. Neither name replaces inspection, representative testing or checking restrictions on the crop's use as feed.
Can I plant ordinary peanut seed to grow perennial peanut hay?
Not the rhizoma perennial peanut forage discussed here. Ordinary edible-peanut seed produces the annual crop, Arachis hypogaea. Arachis glabrata is normally established from rhizomes because most evaluated selections produce essentially no seed. Confirm the species, cultivar, planting-material source and local adaptation before preparing a commercial field.
Can perennial peanut hay be fed to horses?
UF/IFAS identifies perennial peanut as a palatable forage used in horse hay markets. That does not establish suitability for every horse or every load. Confirm that the hay is the intended crop, inspect and test the lot, and have its role in the horse's diet reviewed by a qualified adviser.
How far north can perennial peanut hay be grown?
Extension guidance emphasizes the lower Coastal Plain and differences among cultivars and sites. There is no single temperature or latitude that guarantees a productive stand. Ask local Extension staff about winter survival, growing-season length, drainage and cultivar performance before investing; success with annual garden peanuts does not answer this question.
Is annual peanut vine hay automatically cheaper feed?
No. Compare the delivered cost, actual dry matter, nutrient analysis and usable condition of the offered lot. Account for handling, storage, possible soil pickup and applicable crop-treatment restrictions. For producers, baling also removes field residue and nutrients. A low bale price alone does not establish a lower feeding cost.
Get the crop identity right before the price conversation
For perennial peanut hay, the first decision is not which bale looks greener. It is which crop produced it and whether that actual lot fits the intended use. Get the crop description, harvest and treatment history, and representative forage report before committing to a load. If you plan to grow it, settle cultivar and site suitability before buying planting material.
Research note: We reviewed four archived HayTalk discussions containing 46 captured posts and checked the linked Extension and EPA sources on October 2, 2026. Two discussions revisit the same grower's question. The archive is a source of practical questions, not a feeding trial, current price survey or proof that a crop will succeed on a particular farm.
Featured photograph: Arachis glabrata at DGR, Abhay iari, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The labeled collection plant illustrates the species, not a commercial hay field or proof of any bale's identity. Image unchanged apart from display resizing.
