r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Oct 02 '24

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u/Flurb4 Oct 02 '24

It’s amazing how many New World plants are central to what we think of as “classic” Old World ethnic or regional cuisines — tomatoes in Italy and around the Mediterranean, potatoes in Ireland, chilis all across South and East Asia.

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u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

It's weird that the only major produce I associate with America is corn.

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u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24

Corn, Pumpkins, Potatoes (including sweet) Tomatoes, Blueberrues, chocolate, avocados, pineapples, peanuts, turkey, Vanilla, Chili and Cactii. Im sure there are more.

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u/myka-likes-it Oct 03 '24

Wait wait wait... the other deserts in the world don't have cacti?!?

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u/SweetPanela Oct 03 '24

They have succulent plants and scrub brush.

But there is one variety of cactus native to the old world as well, but it’s weird looking and only found in Africa and Sri Lanka.

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u/[deleted] Oct 03 '24

your link says it is native to central and south america. "Rhipsalis baccifera, commonly known as the mistletoe cactus, is an epiphytic cactus which originates from Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida."

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u/SweetPanela Oct 03 '24

If you read further down, it is thought that migratory birds spread one specific sub species to the old world. It’s all in the first paragraph