Red La Soda facts for kids

The Red La Soda is a special type of potato with a deep red skin. It's a popular choice for cooking, especially for boiling. This potato is a "mutant" version of another potato called 'La Soda'. This means it's a natural change that happened to the original 'La Soda' potato.

The original 'La Soda' potato was created in 1948 in Louisiana, USA. Scientists there crossed two different potato types, 'Triumph' and 'Katahdin', to make it. The red version, 'Red La Soda', was first noticed in 1949. It was officially released in 1953 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. These groups help farmers grow better crops.

What Does the Red La Soda Potato Plant Look Like?

• The potato plant spreads out and is a medium size.
• Its stems, leaves, and leaf stalks are all green. They have a few tiny hairs.
• The plant grows large, lavender-colored flowers. These flowers do not produce much pollen.
• The potatoes themselves, called tubers, can be round or a bit flat and oblong.
• The skin of the potato is red and smooth. Sometimes the red color might fade a little over time. The skin can also peel off easily.
• Inside, the potato flesh is white.
• These potatoes are not very dense.

Where Does the Red La Soda Potato Grow?

• The Red La Soda potato is mostly grown in the southeastern parts of the United States.
• Farmers usually harvest these potatoes during the winter months.
• This potato is mainly sold fresh in stores. It's known for being very good for boiling.
• However, Red La Soda potatoes can get sick easily. They are sensitive to common potato diseases. These include early and late blights, scab, corky ring spot, and bacterial wilt.