Arachis pintoi is orginated from South America; Brazil to be exact. It is found growing under open forests in its native range. Today, this plant has been distributed and cultivated as animal feed and erosion-control or ornamental or soil-improving groundcover in many countries like the tropical and sub-tropical countries. It grows well both on lowlands and highlands up to an altitude of 1,400 meter above sea level. Arachis pintoi has a few common names like Kacang-kacangan, Kacang Pintoi or Kacang Hias in Indonesia, Pinto Peanut in Australia and England, Yellow Peanut Plant in England, Mani Forrajero Perenne or Mani Perenne in Spain, Amendoim Forrageiro in Portuguese and Thua Lisong Tao in Thailand. However, despite the plant's common names, it does not produce peanuts.
Arachis pintoi is a low, herbaceous, leguminous and perennial shrub that can grow to a maximum height of 50 cm. It bears free-blooming, pretty flowers on short axillary racemes that are bright yellow and pea-shaped. Arachis pintoi can be propagated by stem cuttings or seeds (if available). Plants grown from seeds tend to establish its root system more quickly. However, in countries like Malaysia and Singapore, seeds are seldom used though.
Arachis pintoi is a fast spreading plant with rhizomes and creeping stolons that root at nodes to form dense ground-hugging mat. In landscape planting, Arachis pintoi took around 2 to 5 months to cover up the whole ground, depending on the area size and planting distance. During the establishment period, it is prone to weed intrusion and therefore, needs weeding every now and then.
Arachis pintoi is not a ' fussy ' type of plant. It can grow well in open space under direct sunlight though it prefers 70 to 80 percent of sunlight best. Arachis pintoi grows well on fertile loamy soils and well-drained sites. However, it can also withstand short periods of seasonal flooding, but not permanently waterlogged clay soils. Arachis pintoi is a very tough plant that can survive up to 4 months of drought. Other than that, it can tolerate infertile and acidic soils as well as high levels of aluminium and manganese soils. It can also survive well in shallow media of about 8 to 10 cm deep.
Below are pictures of Arachis pintoi with other plantings:
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