Why is a potato vegetable?

* Botanical Classification: Botanically, a potato is a tuber, which is an underground stem. Tubers are considered vegetables by most botanists and culinary experts.

* Culinary Usage: Potatoes are typically used in savory dishes and are not commonly used in desserts, which is a characteristic of fruits. They are often cooked as a side dish, ingredient in soups and stews, or used in salads.

* Growth and Development: Potatoes grow underground, like roots, and are harvested as a root crop. While they are technically stems, they are treated and used like root vegetables in the culinary world.

It's important to remember that the distinction between fruits and vegetables can be a bit blurry and is often based on how they are used in cooking, rather than their strict botanical definition.