Kaffir Bread, Hottentot bread, Mombasa cycad
They suit tropical and subtropical climates. They need a sunny position and good drainage. They cannot tolerate frost. It grows in sparse deciduous forests and in grassland. They grow from sea level to 600 m altitude. They grow in regions with hot humid summer climates and mild dry winter climates. These places have a summer rainfall of 1000-1400 mm per year. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.
Also known as:
Balacha, Icheli, Mgwede, Mkamwa, Mkwanga, Msapo, Muka, Sikas mombasa
Edible Portion
- Seeds, Sago from stems, Pith, Fruit
Where does Kaffir Bread grow?
Found in: Africa, Asia, Australia, East Africa, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, SE Asia, Singapore, South Africa, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar
Notes: There are 52 Encephalartos species.
Status: It is a famine food.
Growing Kaffir Bread, Hottentot bread, Mombasa cycad
Cultivation: Plants are grown from seed or by removal of suckers. Suckers transplant easily.
Edible Uses: Flour is prepared from the seeds after they have been boiled and dried. Caution: The seeds are eaten as a famine food but are reported to cause liver cancer. The starch of the trunk can be extracted and used for food. It is chopped and heaped for a week to allow fermentation then it is washed in hot water and sun dried before pounding into flour and using in porridge.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Kaffir Bread, Hottentot bread, Mombasa cycad Photos
References
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