Mashua - Tropaeolum tuberosum
A perennial species of nasturtium, grown as a crop in the Andes, particularly in Peru and Bolivia. The main food use is its edible tubers, which are eaten boiled or roasted as a vegetable. They can also be eaten raw, but have a strong peppery, mustard-like taste. The plant is a vigorous climber growing to 2–4 m in height. The leaves look like those of garden nasturtiums and can be used in the same way as a salad vegetable. The new growth is especially tender and very palatable. Mashua is very ornamental and would be a good plant for covering an old fence. Brightly coloured, orange and yellow tubular flowers appear in autumn.
Mashua foliage is not frost hardy, but the tubers are, and will survive over winter under the ground and sprout in spring. Tubers for spring growing can also be stored in slightly damp compost over winter (however, this can be more tricky than storing other tubers, as mashua are very prone to dehydrating if they get too dry and also rotting if they get too damp. Check them regularly and throw away any that are shriveled or starting to rot).
In late winter, tubers can be planted up in individual pots of compost which should be damp but not wet. Keep the pots in a cool frost-free place and they will sprout in early spring. After that keep them in a greenhouse, cold frame or on a bright windowsill until any danger of hard frost has passed. If they do catch a night of unexpected frost after planting out in spring the leaves may get burned, but the plants will soon bounce back.
Mashua foliage is not frost hardy, but the tubers are, and will survive over winter under the ground and sprout in spring. Tubers for spring growing can also be stored in slightly damp compost over winter (however, this can be more tricky than storing other tubers, as mashua are very prone to dehydrating if they get too dry and also rotting if they get too damp. Check them regularly and throw away any that are shriveled or starting to rot).
In late winter, tubers can be planted up in individual pots of compost which should be damp but not wet. Keep the pots in a cool frost-free place and they will sprout in early spring. After that keep them in a greenhouse, cold frame or on a bright windowsill until any danger of hard frost has passed. If they do catch a night of unexpected frost after planting out in spring the leaves may get burned, but the plants will soon bounce back.