Ideas for community gardens < roots

The yacon produces a cluster of edible rhizomes.

Yacon has a creamy-coloured flesh that can be eaten raw or cooked.

YACON/
PERUVIAN GROUND APPLE

Botanic name

• Polymnia sonchifolia

Family

• Compositae

Growth form

• an annual to 2 metres resembling the sunflower
• soft, heart-shaped leaves along a stiff stem
• a cluster of underground tubers is formed; moist flesh is off-whote to pale brown in colour

Edible part

• tuber eaten raw or cooked

Cultivation

• high productivity in good growing conditions

Propagation:

• vegetative - from tuber

Centre of diversity

• Peru
• grown by Inca people.

PAGE UPDATED... Wednesday, 16 January 2002