Where did potatoes, maize and tomatoes come from?

                          These familiar plants were cultivated in America for centuries before being found by the early European explorers. Potatoes were brought to Europe in the 16th century, and were a great curiosity. They originated in the Andes, in South America, where they had been cultivated for 1,800 years.

                          Tomatoes were brought to Europe at about the same time, and were quickly adopted as a basic food by the Spanish and Italians. In northern Europe, it was a long time before tomatoes were accepted as a safe food because they are close relatives of the poisonous nightshade plants. Maize was also introduced by the early explorers, and is now grown widely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures credit: google