Tuberous Nasturtium (Tropaeolum Tuberosum), A Delicious Tuber

Loading...

Loading...

Tuberous Nasturtium (Tropaeolum tuberosum)

We know the nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) for its beautiful orange flowers that adorn the garden and that are edible, but we must rediscover the nasturtium nasturtium which is, it, specially cultivated to be cooked. It is a perennial but as it is not very hardy, it is grown annually.

It is its pearly white or orange-yellow tubers, all embossed however that we consume, although it is less floriferous than its dwarf or perennial cousins, it can quite decorate a fence or any support on which it will cling thanks to his tendrils. The flowers are much smaller: they have orange petals at the end of a red chalice and the leaves are substantially identical to those of the nasturtium nasturtium except that they are further cut to detach the 5 lobes.

In the kitchen, you will taste the tuberous nasturtium flowers taste spicy and sweet, in the same way as those of the common nasturtium. The leaves can also be added in a mesclun. Regarding tubers, cook them in water, they lose the zest they have when they are raw and offer a flavor that goes from licorice to fennel through anise or even a note of violet. But you can also add raw, grated, raw vegetables, as a condiment.

  • Family: Tropaeolaceae
  • Type: Perennial grown in annual
  • Origin: Peru
  • Color: Orange-yellow flowers
  • Sowing: yes
  • Cutting: no
  • Planting: spring
  • Flowering: end of August
  • Height: up to 2 m

Ideal soil and exposure for tuberous nasturtium

The tuberous nasturtium does not like full sun, better it is in a bright place without direct sun in rich soil, deep, light and well drained.

Planting date of tuberous nasturtium

The germination of the seeds is difficult, it is done under heated shelter in February-March. It is better to opt for the planting of the tubers, kept from the previous harvest: it can start at the beginning of March in the shelter of frosts or if not in April, by burying the tubercles to 10 cm of depth approximately and keeping 1 m between each foot.

Care and cultivation advice for tuberous nasturtium

Plan to plant the substrates on which the nasturtium will grow. When the feet reach 20 cm, abut them and mulch the ground. Water if the summer is particularly hot to keep the soil cool.

When the first autumn frosts are to be feared, protect the nasturtiums with a wintering veil.

Harvest, conservation and use of tuberous nasturtium

Tuberous Nasturtium (Tropaeolum tuberosum)

A successful crop can produce more than 600 g / foot. The tubers are harvested with a fork when the frosts have blackened and dry and fall the foliage, that is to say, around mid-November. It takes around 7 months between planting and harvesting!

It is possible to harvest as and when needed but rodents may be interested in your harvest so it is better to collect and keep the tubers in the sand in the cellar.

Diseases, pests and parasites of tuberous nasturtium

The nasturtium nasturtium has the advantage of not falling prey to pests or diseases.

Location and favorable association of tuberous nasturtium

It is a plant that needs support on which to climb. Given its height, ensure that a row of nasturtiums do not shade other plants in the garden.

There are tuberous nasturtiums that produce yellow-orange or white tubers, but their taste is the same.

(Photos by Fluffymuppet - CC BY-NC 2.0)

Tuberous Nasturtium (Tropaeolum Tuberosum), A Delicious Tuber

FAQ - 💬

❓ Is Tropaeolum tuberosum edible?

👉 Tropaeolum tuberosum ( mashua, see below for other names) is a species of flowering plant in the family Tropaeolaceae, grown in the Andes, particularly in Peru and Bolivia, and to a lesser extent in Ecuador as well as in some areas of Colombia, for its edible tubers, which are eaten cooked or roasted as a vegetable.

❓ How do you grow Tropaeolum tuberosum?

👉 For best results, grow Tropaeolum tuberosum in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. In winter, the tubers that the foliage grows from will either need to be dug up and stored somewhere frost-free over winter, or protected with a thick mulch if grown in a mild or coastal location.

❓ What is Nasturtium?

👉 It is related to garden nasturtiums, and is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental for its brightly coloured tubular flowers. This plant is commonly called mashua in Peru and Ecuador, but other names include: In Boyacá, Colombia it is also named Nabu The plant grows vigorously even in marginal soils and it competes well with weeds.

❓ Are tuberous nasturtiums like Sleeping Beauty?

👉 The most provoking thing about tuberous nasturtiums is that they don’t always wake up when they are supposed to. Like Sleeping Beauty, some of them may decide to rest for longer than one season, and nobody knows what magic kiss it takes to rouse them again.

Loading...

Video: .

Loading...

Share With Your Friends