Yam bean, Jicama

Where does Yam bean grow?

Found in: Africa, Antigua-Barbuda, Antilles, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinée, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies

Notes: The seeds are possibly poisonous. It possibly has anti-cancer properties.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. Only occasionally seen in Papua New Guinea and mainly used by Asians. It is a cultivated food plant. It is sold in local markets.

Growing Yam bean, Jicama

Cultivation: It is grown from seeds and also grows wild. Seed should be presoaked for 12 hours in warm water to encourage rapid germination. Seed germinate within 2 weeks. Plants can be grown by dividing the root clump and growing plants from the thickened roots. Cuttings will grow. A spacing of 50 cm between plants is suitable. Topping the plant by picking out the growing point and removing the flowers is supposed to help tubers form.

Edible Uses: The young tuber is eaten either raw or cooked. They can be boiled, stir-fried, roasted, braised or used in soups. It can also be pickled. The tubers can be a source of starch used in custards and puddings. The young pods can be eaten. (They must be well cooked.) CAUTION Old pods and mature seeds can be poisonous.

Production: Tubers are ready about 6 months after sowing. Individual tubers can be up to 20 kg weight.

Nutrition Info

Yam bean, Jicama Photos

References

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