Désirée potato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Potato 'Désirée'
'Désirée' potatoes
Genus	solanum
Species	Solanum tuberosum
Cultivar	'Désirée'
Origin	Netherlands, 1962

The Désirée potato is a popular type of potato with red skin and yellow flesh. It was first grown in the Netherlands in 1962. People who have allotments (small plots of land for growing food) love it. This is because it can handle dry weather well. It also resists many common plant diseases.

Désirée potatoes are great for many kinds of cooking. They stay firm and hold their shape well. You can use them for roasting, mashing, or in salads.

What Makes Désirée Potatoes Special?

The Désirée potato is known for being quite strong against certain plant problems.

• It is completely safe from a disease called potato wart.
• It also resists skin spot, which can make potato skins look bad.
• This potato has good protection against several common potato viruses. These include PVY, tuber late blight, and blackleg.
• It also has some protection against other viruses like PVA and PVX. It can also resist a rot called fusarium dry rot.
• However, it can sometimes get leaf late blight or leaf roll. It is also somewhat open to common scab, which affects the potato's skin.

How to Spot a Désirée Potato Plant

You can often tell a Désirée potato plant by looking closely at its features.

• Plant Size: The plant grows to a medium height. As it gets older, it tends to spread out more.
• Leaves: The leaves are usually a medium to dark grey-green color. You might see strong purple colors throughout the plant.
• Stems: It has many stems, and they are often purple.
• Leaf Shape: The main leaves are stiff and open. They have a slight arch or curve.
• Leaflets: The smaller parts of the leaves, called leaflets, are oval-shaped and come to a point.
• Smaller Leaves: There are usually only a few secondary leaflets.
• Flowers: The buds are large and are a red-purple color. They grow on hairy stalks. The flowers themselves are red-violet. They fade to white as they get older.