# What Crops Defy Cultivation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219 "2013-12-26T16:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/21 "2013-12-26T21:57:48Z")
crop noun 1. the cultivated produce of the ground, while growing or when gathered: the wheat crop. 2. the yield of such produce for a particular season. \*\*3. the yield of some other product in a season: the crop of diamonds. \*\* Anything that is harvested, is a crop. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/22 "2013-12-26T22:06:32Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > I grew up picking “Sang” in East Tennessee. The location of the plants was a well guarded family secret and I think still is as my younger brother still sells a few pounds a year. You should share some stories. I’m a semi-transplant (bought the place 25 years ago, moved up here 2 years ago), and the locals have some very colorful stories involving bears, bees and firearms encountered during their forays into 'sang harvesting. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/23 "2013-12-26T22:20:02Z")
I understand most ginseng (“sang”) is sold to China-but do the locals ever use the stuff? ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/24 "2013-12-26T22:41:29Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > \ > 😉 If it’s more than a single fight, shouldn’t it be \ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/25 "2013-12-26T22:47:48Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Per Wiki: _Plants which have not been cultivated but whose product are harvested, are not really classified as crops._ > > I have many levels in meaningless pedantry, I have. 😛 Citing Wiki doesn’t even count as pedantry.😉 Various definitions from [here:](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/crop) > [@](#): > > Crop > 3. a group of products, thoughts, people, etc., appearing at one time or in one season a crop of new publications > [@](#): > > Crop > > 1. the cultivated produce of the ground, while growing or when gathered: the wheat crop. > 2. the yield of such produce in one season. > 3. the yield of any product in a season. > 4. a group of persons or things appearing or occurring together: the new crop of freshmen. > [@](#): > > Crop: the product or yield of anything growing; something resembling a crop; the offspring of animals and birds. > [@](#): > > crop - the yield from plants in a single growing season ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/26 "2013-12-26T23:28:27Z")
The huckleberry (state fruit of Idaho) seems to be extremely resistant to domestication. But then again, if they were more readily available, we wouldn’t have the “fun” of driving up to Priest Lake (Idaho) and fighting the bears over them. 😃 Current research says it is almost impossible to domesticate the wild huckleberry species but efforts are being made. Commercial huckleberry harvesters most likely don’t pick their berries by hand, but most huckleberries are still grown in the wild (mostly in national parks). However, the Western Huckleberry and Bilberry Association is actively fostering the commercial development of huckleberry-based industries. > **[Facts and Information About Huckleberries](https://huckleberry.xenite.org/facts/)** > > Q: Are huckleberries grown on farms? Current research says it is almost impossible to domesticate the wild huckleberry species but efforts are being made. Commercial huckleberry harvesters most lik… ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/27 "2013-12-26T23:37:10Z")
Truffles have been cultivated to some extent (finally), but the process is basically a crap shoot. Ramps, I didn’t know there was a issue with, I used ramps gathered during my thru hike on the Appalachian trail, and they were a nice addition to some trail foods, but really didn’t consider them more then a flavor enhancement of the opportunity to what I packed. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/28 "2013-12-27T01:24:25Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > … often waiting decades before throwing in the towel. Or (in this case) possibly the trowel. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/29 "2013-12-27T01:53:17Z")
I don’t think saffron has ever been cultivated either and it’s probably more expensive per ounce than truffles. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/30 "2013-12-27T02:29:37Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I don’t think saffron has ever been cultivated either and it’s probably more expensive per ounce than truffles. Saffron is cultivated in many places: Iran, Greece, Afghanistan, Morocco. . . The main reason it’s so expensive is that the stigmas must be plucked from the flowers by hand. No one has figured out a way to automate the process. ---
**Author:** ![runningdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@runningdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runningdude)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/31 "2013-12-27T02:29:50Z")
Witch Hazel generally only grows wild. American Distilling in my home state of Connecticut, the largest (and possibly only large scale domestic) manufacturer of Witch Hazel, actually goes out into the woods to various wild stands to collect specimens for distillation. The website for the manufacture, [Witch Hazel Is The Power, We Are The Source | American Distilling](http://www.americandistilling.com/Process_And_Capabilities/Harvesting), goes into some detail. I am uncertain if they use only wild growing stands due to the limited demand, or because cultivation is infeasible. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/32 "2013-12-27T02:33:54Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > crop > noun > 1. > the cultivated produce of the ground, while growing or when gathered: the wheat crop. > 2. > the yield of such produce for a particular season. > \*\*3. > the yield of some other product in a season: the crop of diamonds. \*\* > > Anything that is harvested, is a crop. Well in that case, \*\*diamonds. \*\*😛 (I know there are artificial diamond, but I wouldn’t call them “cultivated”.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/33 "2013-12-27T03:24:15Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > The main reason it’s so expensive is that the stigmas must be plucked from the flowers by hand. And the poor peasants who perform that task are looked down on by their neighbors, almost as if they carry some sort of mark.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/34 "2013-12-27T03:37:20Z")
**Kayaker** , that will be twelve minutes in the penalty booth. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/35 "2013-12-27T03:40:53Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Well in that case, \*\*diamonds. \*\*😛 > > (I know there are artificial diamond, but I wouldn’t call them “cultivated”.) _Actually_ artificial diamonds are called cultivated. > **[Synthetic diamond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond)** > > A synthetic diamond or laboratory-grown diamond (LGD), also called a lab-grown diamond, laboratory-created, man-made, artisan-created, artificial, synthetic, or cultured diamond, is a diamond that is produced in a controlled technological process (in contrast to naturally formed diamond, which is created through geological processes and obtained by mining). Unlike diamond simulants (imitations of diamond made of superficially similar non-diamond materials), synthetic diamonds are composed of ... ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/36 "2013-12-27T03:49:28Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > (I know there are artificial diamond, but I wouldn’t call them “cultivated”.) Not while they light their farts and drink beer from the can watching Nascar, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/37 "2013-12-27T04:00:16Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > **Kayaker** , that will be twelve minutes in the penalty booth. Twelve minutes ?!? … felony assault only get you five … ease up ref. Golden Seal has defied cultivation. Several mushrooms have been mentioned, there’s quite a few more to be added. Ummm … would you include a suave and debonair demeanor, I don’t think that’s been successfully cultivated. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/38 "2013-12-27T14:15:36Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I was going to say truffles. But “ramp” qualifies (I think). It is an odorous, pungent wild onion that is gathered in Spring. Some people love it, most do not. I have never heard of it being cultivated. I have a patch of ramps growing in my herb bed that I planted from seed. There was no particular difficulty growing it and it comes back every year. It can also be propagated from bulbs (and I think that’s why it comes back every year). I see no reason it couldn’t be grown commercially if there was demand. You can use the bulbs like onions (translate that passage into French, if you can, where the French word for bulb is “oignon”) but we prefer the leaves as a variation on chives. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/39 "2013-12-27T14:26:25Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I have a patch of ramps growing in my herb bed that I planted from seed. There was no particular difficulty growing it and it comes back every year. It can also be propagated from bulbs (and I think that’s why it comes back every year). I see no reason it couldn’t be grown commercially if there was demand. You can use the bulbs like onions (translate that passage into French, if you can, where the French word for bulb is “oignon”) but we prefer the leaves as a variation on chives. There is a local “Ramp festival” around here in the spring. Apparently you can cultivate these according to [http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/growing-ramps](http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/growing-ramps) They are also known as ‘wild leeks’. Now that sounds more like a band name to me, but YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219/40 "2013-12-27T14:27:46Z")
> [@runningdude](#): > > Witch Hazel generally only grows wild. American Distilling in my home state of Connecticut, the largest (and possibly only large scale domestic) manufacturer of Witch Hazel, actually goes out into the woods to various wild stands to collect specimens for distillation. > > The website for the manufacture, [http://www.americandistilling.com/Process\_And\_Capabilities/Harvesting](http://www.americandistilling.com/Process_And_Capabilities/Harvesting), goes into some detail. I am uncertain if they use only wild growing stands due to the limited demand, or because cultivation is infeasible. Interesting-witch hazel used to grow around here (I’d notice the odd yellow flowers in November). But I haven’t seen WH bushes in years-is there some pest killing them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crops-defy-cultivation/677219.md?page=3)