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Yields of oca can be twice as high as potatoes in harsh climatic conditions and they are grown in the Andes at altitudes of 3000 to 4000 metres. Oca is very suitable crop for temperate regions and is less susceptible to disease and pests than potatoes. Most types are responsive to day length but there are varieties that grow successfully as far north as Britain, although in some years early frosts can kill the plant before full sized tubers are formed.
Chinese yam aka Cinnamon vine and Naga-Imo
– Dioscorea batatas/ D. polystachya
Yams are very widely grown staple food in Asia and Africa, the reason they are included here is that few people are aware that many yams are hardy enough to be grown in cool temperate regions. Chinese yams are not related to sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), which are often wrongly called yams.
The yam plant is a perennial climber up to 3 metres tall. Plants take about 4 years to produce large swollen roots that can be up to a metre long, and are found deep in the ground. They can be left in the ground and harvested as required in winter. Yams have a thick woody skin, the inside edible part can be light tan or pale yellow to red or purple and the shape also varies greatly depending on the variety. Yams can be boiled, baked, fried, mashed and added to soups and stews, they store well for a long time.
Protein of levels of 1.3 to 3.3% are similar to potatoes (average 2.1%), yams have a higher level of carbohydrates (22.4%) and a higher calorific value than the same weight of potatoes. As in most root crops there is a reasonable amount of lysine, but some amino acids are lacking, yams being low in cystine, methionine and tryptophan. Yams with a yellow colour have high levels of carotenoids, mainly beta-carotene.
Disadvantages: Roots difficult to harvest, requires a lot of digging.
Chufa
aka Tiger nut, yellow nutgrass, ground almond and rush nut
– Cyperus esculentus sativus
The origin of this cultivated plant is obscure, it is known to have been an important food crop in ancient Egypt and is today cultivated in West Africa, Spain and China. It is a very fast growing perennial grass-like plant that is very easily grown in warm climates in moist or wet soil. The small round tubers found along the roots have a slightly almond flavour and are eaten raw or cooked. In Spain they are traditionally made into the drink horchata. Tubers are 12% protein, high in carbohydrates and rich in oleic acid. The edible oil derived from the tuber is of a superior quality similar to olive oil.
Disadvantages: This plant and its wild relatives are regarded as serious problem weeds of irrigated summer crops throughout the tropical and semitropical regions. (Of course this could be an advantage if using the chufa for food!)
Maca – Lepidium meyeni
Maca is a little known root crop that is grown in poor rocky soil and extreme weather conditions in the Andes. It is probably cultivated at higher altitudes than any other food crop. There are many named distinct forms. The roots resemble small pears in size and shape and are pleasantly sweet flavoured, they are slowly baked, dried as an energy food and used to make a sweet aromatic porridge known as mazamorra. Maca root contains 59% carbohydrate, 10.2% protein and large amounts of minerals and essential fatty acids including linolenic and amino acids as well higher levels of iron and calcium than potatoes.
Mashua, aka Anu – Tropaeolum tuberosum
Another ancient traditional Andean root crop, Mashua is rapidly disappearing as a cultivated crop yet it is easy to grow, high yielding and very resistant to diseases. Mashua is a climbing plant closely related to the common nasturtium, that surely has potential as an intercrop. The tubers range in shape from conical to carrot like, have a hot radish like flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. They are nutritious, with 11-16% protein depending on variety.
Other Little Known Plant Crops
Bamboos, Phyllostachys etc..
Bamboos are members of the grass family, they are extremely widespread and diverse. Botanists disagree widely with each other on how many different species there are and give figures ranging from 200 to 1200. Species range from dwarf to up to 60 feet, most are subtropical or tropical plants, some have adapted to cooler climates, and dry and humid conditions. The tender young shoots of Chinese and Japanese bamboos are practically all edible.
Bamboos are extremely high yielding, they are some of the fastest growing plants on the planet, some can grow one metre in a day, they are an excellent multi purpose resource for biomass, erosion control, building material, paper making, fuel and food. The protein content of bamboo shoots varies between 15 to 20%; this is higher than any other vegetable. Studies in China showed that protein and amino acid content in shoots were highest when they were still underground.
The food quality of the shoots varies with the species, some kinds taste bitter, sometimes this is removed by boiling twice in water. The bamboo most cultivated for shoots in the temperate U.S. is Phyllostachys, a genus that consists of about 60 species, all of which are edible.
Hardy kiwi fruit aka Arguta, Chinese gooseberry, Tara Vine
– Actinidia arguta
Kiwi fruit are one the best sources of Vitamin C, they have twice as much as oranges and up to 5 times that of blackcurrants. These climbing vines are native to the mountainous forests of East Asia, commercial plantings were made in New Zealand about 1930 and the fruit was given the name kiwi to market it. The hairy thick-skinned Actinidia deliciosa are best known and the type most often grown commercially probably because they store better. The Arguta type is smaller, sweeter and has a smooth thin skin that is easily eaten with the fruit, making it ideal for chemical free home production.
The vines are at home given something to climb on, in a sheltered sunny spot, with well-drained soil. In these conditions they will survive temperatures well below 10 degrees. Growth is very vigorous, fruits are formed on 2 year old wood and good plants can produce 5 to 10 gallons of fruit per year. Actindia species are dioecious, meaning plants are either male or female. Several plants need to be grown together to guarantee both sexes are present for fruiting.
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